Be Careful What You Wish For
by bflatgirl
Summary: FINAL CHAPTER UP! Sequel to 'Seek Revenge Not Death'. Six years after Harry and Ginny get married. Harry goes to extreme lengths to keep his family safe, but you know what they say be careful what you wish for, it might come true.
1. Six Years On

**A/N** Hey! Wow I'm back for the sequel to Seek Revenge, Not Death. I've planned most of it but as always I don't know how to end it. Oohh it shall be good I hope… If any of you have ideas you would like me to consider I'd love to hear them so tell me and I'll think about them! Right, here we go then…

Six Years On

Harry Potter sat on the seat in the bay window of his bedroom and rubbed his lightening shaped scar that glowed red on the top right of his forehead – when he was aggravated, that was all he ever thought to do, rub his scar to try and make him pain go away. There was a clap of thunder outside as the hail came down, and he waited to hear the crying from the next room. He didn't move from his position but jumped a little when he heard Ginny say, "I'll go then," in an angry tone. He shook his head and opened the window to get some air and smell the fresh rain – he loved the rain, it was calm and tranquil; it used to help soothe his mood in the bad days. Soon the crying stopped and he heard the light footsteps of his wife walking back into the room. She sighed after a minute and broke the silence in the room.

"I'm sorry, ok?" She said tetchily.

Harry let out a harsh laugh, "No you're not."

"I hate it when you don't talk to me, will you please just talk?" She tried.

Harry said nothing and just watched the hail turn back into heavy rain.

"Look, I'm sorry I brought any of it up! I just thought that you might want to help…" Ginny persisted, her tone getting more upset towards the end.

Finally Harry turned his head to face hers. She was standing opposite him in her silk nightdress with her hair hanging lazily at her shoulders. Her face was worried, but her eyes even more so.

"I know," He replied, "But you've asked me the same question before and my answer will always be the same," He paused, "No."

Ginny shook her head, "I won't ask again."

"Good," Harry replied, finally removing himself from the seat to go and climb into bed with his wife, "So we're happy again now?"

Ginny said nothing as she laid down next to him.

"Come on Gin, you know I have a good reason not to go gallivanting off trying to find a guy who thinks he's the next dark wizard. It'll probably amount to nothing."

"There have been twenty deaths in the past two weeks!" Ginny flared.

"I'm not starting this again," Harry said, trying to control his temper that was rising quickly, "Goodnight Ginny."

Ginny was about to retort when a flash of light lit up the room, followed by a loud bang of thunder.

"Mummy!" was heard in the distance and Ginny sighed and got back out of the bed.

Harry lay on his back and thought about the conversation he had just had with his wife. It was true, there had been a huge amount of deaths in the past few weeks, not to mention the twenty most previously, and it had been said a fair few times now that a new Dark Lord was rising. Who this man was, nobody knew. Not even Harry could figure it out and it was secretly driving him insane. He did want to help really, it was in his nature to 'save the day' as some would put it, but if he got too involved he would be pulled in by the ministry and wouldn't be able to get back out again until the whole thing was over. So he was working through Ron, which neither Ginny nor Hermione knew about, to hear things from the ministry's point of view. It seemed they weren't coping well with the sudden increase in suspicious deaths, which Harry wasn't surprised about, even though the minister was a better man now. Sometimes he wished that he could storm into that place and tell them all how to handle it, but again, once he went in, there was no coming out. He had warned Ron of this fact, but he and Hermione were both certain they wanted to do their part – as if they didn't do enough six years ago! The truth was, Harry wasn't going to leave his family. He dreaded that leaving Liam would mean he may never see him again; and the last time he left Ginny, he didn't want to think about it. He knew that sometime he had to tell Ginny his feelings, but he was scared she'd think him a coward.

A small giggle brought him out of his reverie and back into his bedroom in his house in Hogsmeade, and before he knew it, a small six year old boy had jumped onto his bed and was laughed quite loudly.

"Liam was scared of the thunder," Ginny told Harry, raising an eyebrow as she, too, got under the covers.

"Oh is that so?" Harry asked his son, "Well, I suppose that means you're scared of… tickling!"

Liam wailed with laughter as Harry tickled his sides.

When he stopped Ginny smiled and gave her son a kiss on the head and said, "Now go to sleep, the thunder won't get you in here with us."

"Goodnight mummy," Liam said, kissing her cheek.

"Night Liam," Harry said, stroking his son's wild, black hair.

Liam yawned and muttered, "Night dad…"

When Harry was convinced his son was asleep, he looked across him over to Ginny who was watching him.

"I'm sorry," She mouthed to him.

"Me too," He mouthed back, stretching out his hand and stroking her face with his thumb.

"I love you," She whispered.

"I love you too."

* * *

**A/N** Ahhhh I'm very proud of this opening chapter!! As always with me it's just a prologue, so that's why it's short – the next chapter will be longer. I hope you enjoyed it. It may take a while for the next chapter to come up though because I'm still in the middle of my exams. I have two left so the next chapter should be up in about four days! thanks for reading please review! 


	2. Stress

**A/N** Thanks to my first reviewers!

**Spidey3000: **Well I'm afraid you will have to wait; I'm not sure when I will reveal it yet, but deffo not this chapter. Keep guessing!

**Coudle: **What do you mean you can't review at the end of the story? You can, you just can't review more than once for the same chapter that's all! Oh I hope you can review I like reviews lol!

Stress

"I'm sorry about last night Harry," Ginny apologised while hugging him the next afternoon.

"I know, you told me," He replied, mounting a broom.

"Well, you just don't seem very forgiving," Ginny pouted.

"That's because I know what you're up to," Harry replied, "Trying to get me to talk about it again."

"I am not!"

"Ok," He shrugged, letting go of his snitch and zooming off after it. From the sky he could see his wife huffing and storming off into the house.

He was really getting annoyed with this now. For just over a week he and Ginny had gone to bed angry at each other, and the general routine every 'next morning' would be Ginny apologising and Harry accepting it. However, half an hour later every morning she would bring it all up again. Flying seemed to be his only release sometimes. He loved to be in the air soaring around like nobody's business. Their house was on the very outskirts of Hogsmeade, so he was free to fly as high as he liked and almost nobody would see him, which he was pleased about. Although it had been almost eight years since Harry defeated Voldemort, people would still run up to him in the street and shake his hand or ask for his autograph.

He just caught the snitch in his hand when he saw a tiny owl fluttering towards him, struggling to carry the letter tied around his leg. Harry chuckled to himself and flew to the ground. Pig followed him and Harry untied it. Before he got a chance to feed him Pig flew off in the opposite direction towards his home. Harry glanced at the writing on the front and saw Ron's handwriting. He guessed it must be some news about the ministry regarding the attacks, so he looked around, making sure Ginny wasn't close, and opened it.

_Harry,_

_Hey mate, did you hear about the other attack last night? It was a terrible one… Neville is in St. Mungo's for treatment from the cruciatus curse. I swear, if he's not ok, Hermione might freak out more than she has already. (She won't let James out of her sight you know.) You know who did it don't you? It must have been Lestrange, she got Neville's parents and now him. I can't believe the ministry never caught her, where can she have been hiding all these years?_

_Anyway mate, I actually wrote to tell you about the ministry. They've started asking me about you. They want to know where to find you or they want me to get you to help because they know we're friends. What do you want me to do? I know you don't want to help physically, so shall I tell them that you're working on finding out who the dark wizard is? I'm sure it would put their minds at ease! You know what they're like; they'll keep pestering me until I say something about you._

_So, as you might have guessed, the ministry have no new leads. They arrive at attack scenes too late to find any death eaters or anyone still there most times, and if they do get there in time, they usually apparate and the death eaters disapparate at the same time._

_Anyway, I'd better go, Hermione's coming, talk soon mate,_

_Ron._

Harry let out a frustrated howl that echoed around the whole garden and sat on the grass. Ron was stupid sometimes, but then again he always had been, so that came of no surprise to Harry. How could he think that talking to the ministry about him would make them leave him alone? They never left him alone.

"Harry?" Ginny startled him as he tried to hide the letter, but then realised that now seemed a good time to tell her everything. "What's that?" She asked.

He sighed, "A letter from Ron. The ministry want me."

Ginny opened her mouth to speak and closed it again. Harry could tell she didn't want to get in another fight, but it was inevitable.

"I'm not going," He said after a few moments.

"Oh," Ginny replied, struggling to find words, "Ok."

"I think we should leave," Harry stated calmly.

"What?!" He jumped at the tone and strength of Ginny's voice.

"Well, to get away from the ministry…"

"You want to run away?" She asked angrily.

"No! Just keep us safe," Harry reasoned.

"By running away!"

"No Ginny, you don't understand!" He stood up and walked over to her, but for some reason she backed away, shaking her head.

"What wouldn't I understand? You're scared and you know it!" She yelled.

"Shut up!" He shouted, "Shut up thinking you know everything! You've got it all wrong!"

Ginny stayed silent so he continued. "You're right, I am scared but not because of the reason you think I am. It all goes back to… then, doesn't it? I can't leave you again and I know that one day in the ministry and I'll be gone for months, maybe years. I thought I was lost without Ron and Hermione when they got married but I still had you. I realised the only time I'm ever lost is without you."

Ginny's eyes were filled with tears as she looked sorrowfully at Harry. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you felt like that…" She said, walking up to him.

"I don't want to become that other man again… I'm afraid I will without you," He said, leaning against the wall of the house.

"You wouldn't, Harry," Ginny said, taking his hand, "These past six years I've seen Voldemort disappear out of you. And that's the only reason you did those things last time, he was still there, in your head, corrupting your mind. But he's gone, and no one can bring him back this time."

"But maybe he's only gone because I'm with you. What if I leave you and it all happens again. I wouldn't be able to hide it this time, I'd crack under pressure."

"You wouldn't, you're stronger than that," Ginny smiled.

"I love you," Harry smiled back, "I'm glad you understand."

"I do, so when we go to the ministry there will be no… What's wrong?" She stopped at Harry's expression.

"What do you mean?" He asked stonily.

"Well, when we go to see the Minister, to tell him you'll help…"

Harry felt his temper rising as it swam around him in great waves of pressure. "I'm not going to help… What did we just have a conversation about Ginny?"

"Well, I thought…" Ginny stammered, but then exploded, "You HAVE to help Harry! Everyone needs you!"

"No they don't! They need to understand that they have to survive without me one day! I'm just one person in this whole world! I'm an ordinary guy who only wants the best for his family! Why can't anyone see that?!" He shouted loudly, making Ginny back away from him again.

"Because you're not a normal person Harry! Whether you like it or not you'll always be the boy who lived! You're always going to be the one everybody turns to for help! And you need to give it!"

"Well I'm not going to! You're going to be safe, Liam is going to be safe! And I'll be with you!" He shouted, shoving past her into the house where he saw Liam standing with a worried look on his face.

He couldn't trust himself to say anything to him, so he kept walking, hearing Ginny shout behind him "You're so selfish! That's all you'll ever be! Selfish!"

* * *

_Ron,_

_For the last time, don't tell the ministry anything about me, I'm not getting involved apart from through you. Listen, if anything big happens then I'll tell you but I don't think it will. My house is like Grimmauld Place isn't it, you know that, no one can find it unless I tell them where it is. Why do you think I did that? So the ministry couldn't find me! Get the picture! _

_I'm sorry about that, Ron. I wrote it earlier after having another argument with Ginny so I was really stressed. Should have put it in the bin really… But I guess it's a good thing I didn't because now you can see what stress I go under. I feel sorry for Ginny and Liam half the time, having to put up with that. But listen, like I said, please don't tell the ministry anything about me; I'm not getting involved unless it's anything big._

_I'm sorry mate, take care,_

_Harry._

Harry finally gave Hedwig the letter the same evening he had the argument with Ginny. He had cooled down since then, but still not spoken to her at all. His mind was turning over and over with thoughts of this new dark wizard. He really had no idea who it might be. Of course, there were those certain Slytherins at Hogwarts but none of them, not even Malfoy, were capable of so many murders. Then again… people thought that of Harry himself.

"Liam's going to bed," Ginny's voice made him jump, as it always did, "He wants you to go and say goodnight."

She walked out of the room straight after she said it, and Harry sighed and slumped for a moment before following her but turning right to go to Liam's room.

"Hey mate," He said softly as he walked in.

Liam yawned sleepily and turned to his dad. "Hello," He said.

"I'm sorry about earlier, Liam, do you forgive me?" He asked, sitting on the floor next to his son's bed.

"Are you and mummy angry?" Liam asked sadly.

"No," Harry replied instantly, but then thought about it, "Well, a little bit, but it's only because I love you both a lot."

"Will you make up?" He asked.

"Of course we will, I couldn't stay angry at your mum forever."

Liam smiled and put his head on his pillow, "Night night dad."

Harry kissed his forehead and stood up, "Night Liam."

* * *

**A/N** Hmmm, still a relatively short chapter, but I'm hoping they will get longer, this was just a good place to stop I felt! Thanks for reading, please review! 


	3. An Unexpected Visit

**A/N** Thanks to reviewers:

**Coudle: **Well it's a trait of my stories for them to argue a lot, that's just how I see their relationship, but don't worry, nothing ever comes of it:)

An Unexpected Visit

Three says later the mood in Harry's house wasn't much better. Liam had caught on to the fact that his parents weren't yet talking again and had decided to also stop talking to Harry. He wasn't worried by this, because he knew that he had promised Liam that he and Ginny would make up soon, and they obviously hadn't, so Liam was just trying to get him back for 'lying'. However, the silence in the house was deafening. He was getting sick of Ginny's small sarcastic comments like 'I'll cook dinner then,' and 'Don't worry, I'll do it'. So, with anger put aside, he decided that he'd tell her he was secretly helping with the ministry via Ron, and owls.

"Gin, I need to tell you something." Harry walked up to her in the kitchen on a bright Sunday afternoon.

She turned round to look at him from the sink and gave him a cold icy stare.

"Well if you _will_ be like that…" He turned to walk out again.

"No! Harry," She said, running up to him and grabbing his arm, "I… I don't like not talking…" She said, bowing her head.

He smiled a little, "Neither do I; and I don't like my only son not talking to me either." Ginny gave a sort of, sad smile and he continued. "I've got something to tell you that might cheer you up a little bit. But it might make you even angrier at the same time."

"Ok…" She replied slowly.

"I'm helping with the ministry," He said bluntly.

Ginny stood for a moment, apparently in complete shock, and opened her mouth a few times to speak, but shut it just as many.

"I… you… wha… I…" was all she was able to get out of her mouth.

Harry fought the temptation to laugh and said, "Through Ron," hopefully making things a little clearer for her.

"Ok…"

"I'm just trying to figure things out, Gin. Like who that wizard is. I'm not going to call him the 'Dark Lord' because in my opinion no one is darker than Voldemort was. And whoever it is I think they're mad!" Harry explained quickly.

Finally, Ginny put a whole sentence together; "How long have you been writing to Ron about this?"

"I don't know," Harry answered, "A week? Two weeks maybe?"

Ginny cocked her head to the side, "Why didn't you tell me? All these fights could have been spared if I knew you were at least doing _something_ to help!"

Harry felt himself getting pink in the face, "Well, I thought if you knew I was doing something small to help, you might reel me in to do something more…"

"Reel you in?!" Ginny shouted.

"Sorry," he said quickly, feeling himself go bright red now.

"Oh Harry," She said, talking slower and calmer than before, "I'm so sorry about the other night. Now it all makes sense. If you had told me then what you just told me now then I wouldn't have said 'let's go to the ministry tomorrow'. I would have understood."

Harry smiled, walked up to her and wrapped her arms around her. "I've missed you hugging me," Ginny said happily.

"Anything else?" He asked cheekily.

She smiled and simply said, "Well…" Before he kissed her on her lips and caressed her back with his hand. "I love making up…" She said when taking some air.

"Best part of a relationship…" Harry answered, slyly putting his hand under her t-shirt and raising it to the hook of her bra.

"You made up!" Liam ran into the room and hugged them both tightly. Harry's hand flew out from under Ginny's top and he bent down quickly, his heart attack getting slowly better.

"Liam," He said to his son, "Do you forgive me now?"

"Yeah!" Liam nodded vigorously and hugged Harry tighter than ever.

Ginny giggle slightly as she saw Harry's reddened face from embarrassment and said, "Shall we go out for dinner tonight?"

"Yeah!" Liam shouted.

"What's the occasion?" Harry asked.

"Making up, it's the best part of a relationship you know! Having dinner brought for you!" She replied and walked out of the room easily.

Harry smiled slightly and shook his head, he'd get her back for that one.

He looked down to Liam, who was sitting on the floor just smiling. Liam looked up to him, "Women," Harry said, shaking his head, "Can't live with them; can't live without them!"

And with that he left his puzzled son on the floor of his kitchen to go and find Ginny, who had snuck up the stairs a few minutes previously.

* * *

"This is nice, isn't it Liam?" Ginny said four hours later in the most expensive restaurant in Hogsmeade. Liam nodded while stuffing his face with chicken, and she looked back to Harry. 

He was in a complete world of his own, trying to figure out two characters in the corner of the room. They had been there for little over an hour with their heads together, whispering. And every time someone walked past, they would take a few bites of their food and then get back to whispering. Harry didn't like it, not one bit. Even though they both looked like perfectly normal men, wearing casual dress-robes – Harry really had no reason to be against their presence, but he was.

"Harry James Potter are you listening to a word I'm saying?" Ginny's voice finally broke into his mind and his eyes twitched over to see her stern ones staring straight into his.

"Yes," He argued.

"What did I say then?" She asked angrily.

"You told me to stop being such a spy and enjoy the meal," He answered matter-of-factly.

Ginny raised an eyebrow, "Well, you _heard_ me, it doesn't mean to say you were listening."

But Harry was away again, he could have sworn that one of those men just looked in this direction, as if watching someone, and he was sure they were watching him.

"Harry!"

"Shush!" He spat at her.

"Who are you looking at?" She went to turn around but Harry grabbed her arm in time.

"Don't look!" He whispered. "There's two men over there… They've been whispering for this whole past hour. One of them just looked at me."

"You're Harry Potter, people do that," Ginny stated angrily.

"No, it wasn't that kind of look; it was like he was watching me…"

Harry let his eyes flitter back to the men for a moment, and this time the other one was staring, but didn't look away when Harry caught his eye. Finally he broke the stare and whispered to his friend again. Then, to Harry's utter surprise, the man stood up and started walking towards him. Harry's hand flew towards his wand in his cloak, and his fingers were poised around it ready to grab and strike at any moment.

"Excuse me," The man said – he looked a few years older than Harry, and Harry didn't recognise him, "Are you Harry Potter?"

His hand tightened around his wand, "Yes," He replied.

"Wow!" The man exclaimed, "It's great to meet you!" He held out his hand for Harry to shake it, but his right hand was tight around his wand. The man, whoever he was, could have noticed this and seen it as a chance to catch Harry off-guard, or simply just wanted a hand shake.

He considered for a moment. Surely no one would start a duel in an expensive restaurant like this? He let go of his wand and shook the mans hand, still eyeing him suspiciously.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt your meal," He said, "I just couldn't sit there and not come to say… thanks!" He sort of, gasped out.

"Yeah, well… I get that a lot," Harry stated, sounding quite rude.

"Harry!" Ginny hissed at him. And then turned to the man, "Sorry about him, he's tired. What's your name then?"

The man helped himself to the spare seat next in-between Harry and Ginny, "Frank Orchard," He smiled.

"Good to meet you," Ginny shook his hand, "Won't your friend come to join us?"

"No, he gets very shy around famous people…" Harry let out a groan, "Sorry… don't you like that term?"

"I hate it," He said stiffly.

"Oh…"

There was a small silence at the table until Liam suddenly came back into existence.

"Mummy," He said, tugging on Ginny's sleeve, "I need to go…"

"Oh, Harry would you?" Ginny gestured.

"No!" He said, a bit louder than he aimed for. If she thought he was going to leave her alone with some stranger then she thought wrong.

"He's five years old; I can't take him in the women's anymore!"

"No."

"Oh Harry!" She exclaimed exasperatedly, getting up, "Excuse me Frank!"

And with that she walked off. Harry thought of doing the same and just taking Ginny and Liam home. But he thought better of it; he wanted to figure this 'Frank' out.

"So, Frank, what do you do for a living?" Harry asked slyly, trying to get more information on him.

"I work in St. Mungo's, with people who have, unfortunately, had the unforgivable curses performed on them…" He trailed off, trying at a saddened face: It didn't work, not on Harry anyway.

"If you don't like it there, why do you do it?" He asked.

"Oh I don't not like it!" Frank denied, "It's just heart-breaking, some things you see in there. Like this one couple, tortured to insanity by the Cruciatus curse, you've never seen anything like it!"

"What make you think I haven't?" Harry snapped. This man didn't know what Harry had seen in his teen years; and the couple he was talking about sounded just like Neville Longbottom's parents.

"Well, all you've done is got rid of the Dark Lord, isn't it?" Frank said, not sounding the least bit worried about Harry's angry tone.

But Harry wasn't really thinking about the topic in hand anymore, his heart was beating like he'd been running for hours. This man had just said 'Dark Lord'. It was a known fact that only Death Eaters called Voldemort that.

"Sorry, have I said something to offend you?" Frank prompted.

Harry saw Ginny and Liam approaching back from the toilets. "We've got to go," He said distractedly, putting money on the table for dinner.

"Why?" Frank asked, and Harry saw him from the corner of his eye gesture something to the other person in the corner of the room.

"We just do," He answered, not shaking Frank's hand or anything, "Bye."

"Harry, what are you doing?" Ginny asked as she reached him.

"We're leaving," He said, grabbing her with one hand and Liam with the other.

"Why?" She asked hotly, pulling her arm out of his grasp. "We're not!"

"Ginny, come now, I'll tell you when we get home," He said, trying to grab her arm again.

"No! It's so rude Harry! Poor Frank must be so offended. Plus I want to eat my dinner!"

"For fuck sake Ginny come on!" He shouted loudly.

The whole room went silent and everyone was staring at them. Harry didn't care, he was used to that after twenty-seven years. Ginny stared at him; a confused stare that he always felt guilty about. But he couldn't help it. Slowly she turned her head to Frank and said quietly, "Sorry, it was good to meet you." Then walked towards Harry again, who grabbed her arm and pulled her and Liam out of the room.

"You have so much explaining to do, Harry Potter!" She yelled at him as they arrived in the street, where everything was normal.

"I'll tell you when we get home," He said, poising his fingers to apparate.

"We're apparating? We don't live that far away!" Ginny protested.

"Just do it and take Liam," He said, pushing his shaking son towards her.

Reluctantly, she sighed and the two of them disappeared from view. Harry stood for a moment and shook slightly before clicking his fingers. But one moment before he did so, he felt an unfamiliar tug behind him, and while he apparated through the tight tube, he found it difficult to breathe – something was squeezing his neck.

He fell on the ground outside his house and pulled at the collar of his robes that was too tight around his neck, but it was still being pulled back. He flipped quickly to his back and saw Frank Orchard's head floating in mid air; followed by his shoulders and the rest of his body as his invisibility cloak fell off. Frank laughed loudly at Harry struggling to breathe and finally let go of the cloak.

Harry fell to his back on the ground and panted deeply, and then all his other senses started to come back.

"Harry!"

"Daddy!"

He looked around wildly to see Ginny and Liam, and finally saw them being pulled into the house by the other man who was with Frank at the restaurant, also carrying an invisibility cloak. He took a deep breath and jumped up off the ground, completely forgetting Frank was there, pulled out his wand and ran toward the house.

But then he was on the ground again, feeling the most excruciating pain he'd felt for over six years, and screaming for his life.

* * *

**A/N** Hehe good old cliff hangers eh?! What would we do without them? 

Sorry it took so long to update, but its here now please review!!


	4. Pain of the Past

**A/N** Thanks reviewer:

**Spidey3000: **You think you know everything? Well I'm not so predictable hehe! Read on thanks for reviewing!

**SierraPotter: **Thanks for all your lovely reviews hehe! But I have to say I don't like it when you say you hate me lol!! Oh well at least you like my new story! I'm glad to have my loyal reviewer back, I have to say I was loosing faith that you would ever return lol!! Anyway I'll let you read on…

Pain of the Past

"Harry!" He heard her voice miles away, "Stop it!"

The pain stopped after an amount of time that seemed like hours to Harry, and he breathed quickly, shaking all over as he did. He felt a slight twinge in his right leg and looked down to see it bleeding badly, leaving blood all over the doorframe of the house. But this pain was nothing compared to what the curse put him through.

"Why should I have stopped?" He heard Frank say loudly, "He's almost dead anyway!"

"Harry doesn't die!"

Harry cursed Ginny for saying that, because he knew that right now Frank would have a raised eyebrow… "Is that so?" He said, and the pain began once more.

He jerked and twitched on the ground, telling himself he wanted to die, he couldn't stand it any longer.

"Had enough Harry?" Frank asked sarcastically.

Harry breathed deeply and turned to face him. He was standing tall above him, like a towering murderer showing he had won.

Harry swallowed with difficulty and shook his head defiantly, trying to ignore the numb pain in his leg.

"Well I'm sorry I can't treat you with more," Frank started, a broad smile on his face, "But I am to believe that the Dark Lord is on his way."

He didn't know what to feel, or how to act. Most things in his brain were a blur to him. He either wanted to find Ginny and Liam – who had consequently stopped shouting for him – or get up and fight this bastard. Then he realised – he didn't even know where his wand was. Had he thrown it aside or dropped it when he was under the curse? Because it definitely wasn't in his hand now.

He started to move his head around in a frantic panic to get his wand back when Frank said joyfully, "Are you looking for this?"

He signalled to his foot and Harry followed his finger. Sure enough, Frank was standing on Harry's wand, looking as if he was about to break it in two. Harry looked back up to Frank's smiling face, all too aware of the terrified look in his eyes.

But suddenly Frank was flying down the front garden away from him, leaving Harry's wand behind.

Harry flipped over to his other side and saw Ginny holding out her wand.

"Oh Harry!" She ran down to him and immediately performed a curing spell on Harry's leg, and the pain vanished. "Liam's ok, I stunned the other man and then bound him in rope. We need to notify the ministry."

Harry held his head while clambering to his feet – retrieving his wand on the way up. He waited until he found his balance and then said hurriedly, "We need to get to Ron and Hermione's house, make sure no one has gone to them – and to hide ourselves."

"Why?" Ginny asked as they rushed into the house and up the stairs.

"The one they call their lord is…" Harry stopped instantly at the door to Liam's room and held his wand straight ahead of him.

One of the two men in black cloaks turned to look at him, the other stayed facing a bound up Liam.

Ginny's wand also flew in front of her and pointed at the man with Liam.

"This," said the man facing them, in a raspy sort of voice, "Is the Dark Lord. He plans to kill your son."

Ginny let out a gasp that made the man laugh, but Harry stood his ground. "And why doesn't he tell us himself? Or just kill us all and get it over with?"

"The Dark Lord wants revenge on you Potter, he thinks it is unfair that a little brat such as this one should see it."

Harry lurched forward and put his wand to this mans neck. He got deep satisfaction in seeing the man almost shake with fear.

"If you call my son that again I might just be forced to kill you," He spat only inches away from his face.

"If you kill him Potter, I'll kill you."

Harry almost dropped his wand from shock; although he didn't move. He was terrified that if he moved he might hear that voice that he hadn't heard in so many years again.

"Didn't you hear me Potter?" The voice spoke again and Harry looked to Ginny, who was doing her best not to cry, or faint.

Slowly, Harry turned back to the other man and shoved him backwards, he didn't need to be worried about him right now. He then turned and faced the man who he was so surprised to hear, he could barely believe it was him.

"Turn around Malfoy," He whispered calmly.

Harry tried desperately not to laugh as Draco Malfoy turned to face him. He did so just as Harry had once read in Muggle stories; slowly, with his head lowered, and when he did lift his head, he pushed his hood (again, slowly) back and smirked at Harry; that smirk that he thought he'd never again see in his life.

Finally Harry cracked and let out a harsh sound that didn't actually sound like a laugh. Although Malfoy knew exactly what it was.

"What are you laughing at Potter?" He questioned in that same drawl of a voice he had six years ago.

"You tell me," Harry answered strongly, "Are you supposed to look heroic, terrifying, or just plain stupid?"

Malfoy only smirked back at him, "You won't be saying that when your brat of a son and bitch of a wife are dead, Potter."

"You do one thing to them and I swear you won't see the light of day again," Harry threatened.

"Is that supposed to make me scared?" Malfoy said mockingly. When Harry only shook his head he went on; "Do sit down Potter, we need to have a little chat. Oh, but first; Expelliarmus!"

Ginny flew backwards out of the room, and was lucky not to be tossed down the stairs by the force of the spell.

"Mum!" Liam cried.

Harry instantly rushed towards the door, not stopping to think about hexing Malfoy, but was pulled back by something other than a hand.

"Zabini will take care of that, and this little brat, won't you Zabini?" Malfoy ordered. Harry mentally kicked himself for not realizing who this other death eater was, he knew he recognised him, and that was the reason he kept himself hidden at the restaurant. But it was no good dwelling on that now, it seemed so many hours ago to Harry.

Zabini walked over to Liam and took him by the waist, flinging him over his shoulder and carrying him out of the room. Liam wailed for help and started to scream. Harry pointed his wand to curse Zabini, but Malfoy got there first and disarmed Harry.

"Now," Malfoy said, taking a seat, "So we can be alone…" He shut the door and charmed it locked with his wand; Harry's being on the other side of the room. "Sit down, Potter, we have a lot to discuss."

Harry did not take the offer of a seat; he stood over Malfoy, glaring at him with the most hatred he'd had in six years.

"Suit yourself then…" Malfoy muttered as he removed his cloak, brandishing his new dark mark which was a snake with a very menacing looking tongue, rather than the old dark mark which was a skull with a snake for a tongue.

Harry burst out laughing when he saw this, only to stop abruptly when Malfoy was also standing, his wand on Harry's heart.

"You think this is a joke?" He shouted in Harry's face, "I'm the next Dark Lord Potter, and there's nothing you can do about it!"

Harry backed away slowly from Malfoy and his wand, ending up sitting on Liam's small bed. "Why did you choose the dark side, Malfoy? Did someone get to you as a child?"

"I was destined for it, you can't say I wasn't," Malfoy answered a lot quicker than Harry thought he would, if at all. "And then, after Hogwarts, someone did get to me, yes."

"Who?" Harry asked, just killing time.

"You, Potter."

"How?" Harry asked foolishly, thinking he already knew the answer.

"You killed my son."

Harry's heart skipped a beat and his breath caught in his throat, then he thought he'd misheard what Malfoy said. He was expecting the word 'master' to escape from Malfoy's mouth, definitely not 'son'.

"Your… what?" He asked incredulously.

"My son you prat!" Malfoy spat at him, "You killed him! Six years ago! You slimy git!"

"I…" Harry struggled, "I don't know…"

"Shut up Potter! Stop lying! I know you did it!" Malfoy paused, and a smirk appeared on his face, "You enjoyed killing my master a little too much didn't you?"

"I've never enjoyed murdering, not like you do!" Harry said louder than he anticipated.

"So you admit it? You killed my son!" Malfoy shouted again.

Harry couldn't help but think that Malfoy was not capable of having a son, and if he had had one then he wouldn't have cared for him. He said nothing, but didn't look away from the stony eyes that met his, just willing him to do something wrong.

"I know it was you Potter," Malfoy whispered menacingly, "And you didn't even use magic."

Harry's heart skipped more beats than he cared to count this time. He felt sick; physically sick. Of all the five murders he had committed six years ago, this had to be the one that involved Malfoy – the most gruesome, heart-wrenching one of all. He hadn't even told Ginny about the last two murders he'd committed from fear of never getting a second chance with her.

Malfoy had obviously noticed Harry's shaken look, and he smirked once again. "I wonder if you've told your little Weasel about your being a murderer?"

"Of course I have!" Harry tried to shout, but it didn't come out as much.

"And she still stayed with you? Aren't you lucky?" Malfoy replied mockingly.

"Are…" Harry tried, still feeling sick, "Are you sure it was me?"

"Well you've admitted to it now, Potter!" Malfoy bellowed, "Don't try and go back on it!" He paused for a while, but Harry said nothing and only looked at the floor, trying not to throw up, so he continued; "Of course I'm sure it was you anyway. You left something on my baby that night, Harry."

Harry was startled at the use of his first name and looked up instantly, only to wish he hadn't straight afterwards. For Malfoy was now holding a golden locket that Harry merely thought he'd lost.

"Slytherin's locket…" Malfoy paused. "This was round my sons neck when we found him three weeks ago."

Harry tried to stay calm, but started to have flashbacks of the night he killed this baby boy.

"What makes you think it was mine?" He asked, trying innocence.

"I know what you had to do to be able to kill Voldemort," Malfoy said simply, "I knew you had to find all seven Horcruxes and destroy them. This one has clearly had something done to it. Looks like someone needed to destroy whatever was inside it to me."

Malfoy pointed to a terrible black mark on the outside of the locket – a lightening bolt shape.

Harry did not deny it. It was out in the open now. He had strangled Malfoy's son six years ago with brute strength and force, and it sickened him to the point of wanting to beat himself. He looked up at Malfoy, and a look he had never before seen in his eyes was staring at him. Malfoy wanted to kill him, the way Harry had killed the boy so many years ago. Pure hate stared at him from Malfoy's eyes, and Harry was scared of it.

Seeming to read his thoughts, Malfoy said, "Oh no Potter, I'm not going to kill you. I want revenge more than anyone has wanted revenge in their entire lives." Harry thought this highly unlikely, for no one could ever want revenge the way he did over six years ago. "I'm going to make you suffer, the way I did. First, I'm going to kill your brat of a son, and then you whore of a wife, and then everyone else who you're close to in this world."

Malfoy smirked. He could tell he was getting to Harry.

"Youngest first then?" He said as he stood up quickly.

He strode towards the door, unaware of Harry's eyes shifting towards his wand. This time, it was Harry who smirked.

Malfoy was not aware that Harry could perform spells and charms non-verbally, and definitely not aware that he could summon his own wand without the use of any wand at all.

"Expelliarmus!" Harry's wand flew to his hand and less than a second later Malfoy's wand flew out of his.

Quickly Harry ran to it and picked it up, pointing this one also at Malfoy. "Would you like to run, duel, or die?" Harry asked calmly.

To Harry's surprise, he saw the faintest look of worry in Malfoy's eyes, if only for a split second. "Been practicing non-verbally have we?" He said in his drawling tone. "Well so have I."

And before Harry knew it Malfoy's wand had slipped easily from his hand and Malfoy had disappeared.

Harry glanced round the room once quickly and then sped towards the door, which only flew open before he reached it.

"Harry!" Ginny cried, clinging to him, Liam at her side.

"Ginny, Liam!" He hugged them both and felt them trembling badly. "What happened?"

"Zabini grabbed his arm and disapparated," Ginny answered simply, picking Liam up close to her.

"What did he do to you?" Harry asked frantically.

"Nothing, just – sat there… Watching us," She replied. "What happened to you? Where's Malfoy? Why was he here in the first place?"

"I… He…" Harry stopped. Suddenly the realization of what he'd done six years ago caught up with him. And he also realized, that everything that was going wrong in the wizarding community today was his fault. _He_ had caused the new 'Dark Lord' rising…

"Harry?" Ginny prompted, with a more than worried look on her face.

Harry's eyes shifted to look at her, his expression was blank. "I've ruined everything."

"What?"

Harry didn't answer, he was shocked, confused, and, above all else, absolutely terrified.

"Harry!" Ginny called from somewhere far from him, "We need to get to the ministry, right now! You can't avoid it anymore, Harry; we need to go. You have to tell them everything. Remember _everything_ Malfoy said to you. You have to help now. Harry!"

"What?!" He yelled at her, not looking at her. Liam looked as though he was about to cry, for the umpteenth time that night.

There was a pause as Ginny contemplated him; and Harry couldn't hide for one second that something was truly wrong.

"What did he say to you Harry?" She asked calmly.

Harry turned towards her again. He had to say it – otherwise he'd never believe it himself.

"I killed his baby."

* * *

**A/N** Wow, proper long chapter! Sorry about that! Hope you liked it though. I was struggling to find an ending to it, that's why it took me so long to update. But yeah, hope you liked it please review! 


	5. Be Careful What You Wish For

**A/N** Hey I'm back and I'm sooooo sorry it took so long!!! Thanks to reviewers for chapter four…

**Spidey3000:** Well, he's going to have to go back now isn't he, but what will the truth bring out??

Be Careful What You Wish For…

Harry was laying on the uncomfortable bed in the Hogs Head, watching the rain splash down onto the inside windowsill – Harry being to tired to go and close the window itself. This was his first moment of quiet since he had met Malfoy four days ago, but he was still waiting for the peace to go with it. The Ministry had not left him alone for one minute, let alone four days. And that look that Ginny kept giving him - that was the most tiring thing of all. The look of worry, contemplation and even unloving that was staring at him from the other side of the room right now was what drained all the energy from him.

It had been at least ten minutes since Ginny had returned from taking Liam to Ron and Hermione's house, and all the while her terrified eyes had not left his body from the chair on which she sat next to an old, rotting dressing table. Harry had told her absolutely everything the same night Malfoy had showed up, after putting Liam to bed, and since then everything had changed.

Finally, as Harry knew she would, Ginny spoke; in the same terrified tone that her eyes gave.

"Harry," She said weakly, "We need to talk about this…"

Harry sighed angrily and sat up on the bed.

"We have Ginny, dozens of times!" He replied, which was perfectly true. Ginny had said near enough the same thing at least three times a day to him.

"But I can't understand it… Why… I mean, how could you?" She stuttered, and Harry watched the all too familiar tears fall down her face again.

"I've told you!" He said, getting frustrated quickly, "It was the same as all the others, just a little bit more…" He struggled to find a word, "Physical."

"But you've never mentioned this one to me before…" Ginny cried some more.

"I did, the night I told you at the Burrow. I just said the last two were too horrible to talk about; which should at least let you know I'm ashamed of it!" He yelled.

"But that's just it Harry, you don't seem at all upset about what you've done!" She shouted back.

"I can't be!" He said, and to Ginny's confused look, he continued. "Gin, if the Ministry can tell there's something wrong with me, they'll suspect things and there will be more publicity than even now."

"And you'll get sent to Azkaban," Ginny said quietly, looking at her feet.

Harry wouldn't deny that this comment shocked him a bit. Of course, he had thought of the consequences of killing five innocent muggles, (a few of them magical babies) but every time he did he found himself feeling sick again and terrified of never seeing Ginny or Liam again in his entire life.

He sighed and stood up to walk to her. "Exactly," He said even quieter, "Which is why I don't want to fight with you when these could be my last few weeks with you."

Ginny turned her head sharply towards him, "Don't say that!"

"But it's true."

"You said you wouldn't ever leave me! You promised! Before we got married!" Ginny cried.

"I know, Gin," He said, hugging her to try and calm her, "But things don't always turn out as we'd like them to."

There was a short pause as they just sat for a few minutes, hugging each other – clinging on for their whole lives.

"It's all my fault, isn't it?" Ginny whispered after a few minutes of silence.

"How?" Harry asked, letting her go.

"If I hadn't…" She stammered, "If I hadn't jinxed V – You-Know-Who on the night you killed him, none of it would have ever happened."

"That's not true," Harry tried.

"But it is! You wouldn't have been mad at me and I wouldn't have slept with Dean and then you wouldn't have left!" Ginny sobbed into Harry's shoulder again.

Harry had to force himself not to feel that way about Ginny, because he loved her with all his heart. But despite how much he forced himself not to believe it was her fault, he couldn't help it. She was completely right in what she had said; she caused him turning into a murderer, with a little help from Voldemort of course.

Ginny seemed to gather herself together and said, "I'm sorry for being like this."

"Like what?" Harry asked.

"Scared of you," She answered, "I know you've learnt your lesson and you'll never do it again."

"But will the whole wizarding community see it that way?" He mused.

"I don't know… Speaking of which, you've got a conference in Diagon Ally in half an hour, you'd better get down there!" Ginny stood up and ushered him over to the door of the room.

Harry sighed again, that was all he had done for the past four days. He was so sick of having to reassure people that everything would be ok, because he knew it wouldn't be for a very long time. He was also sick of people running up to him in the street, telling him that he didn't need luck to rid the world of this dark lord, because the last one was worse. And he couldn't stand the fact that everyone was so sure that Harry Potter was going to save their lives again; when he was the one who caused the whole problem.

"Harry?"

He jumped from his reverie and realised that Ginny had said his name at least three times while they walked down the stairs together. He glanced at her and saw her face turn into a soft smile.

"You'll be ok," She said comfortingly. "Now, I'll go to the Ministry and see dad, good luck today. I'll see you later."

And with that she gave him a swift kiss on the cheek and went to leave, but Harry grabbed her hand and stopped her. She looked at him again with the scared look in her eyes.

"I love you Gin, I should tell you more often," Harry whispered.

The worried look left her eyes and was replaced with another soft smile – the kind that made Harry's heart melt every time. "I love you too, silly! I'll see you later," She said again and this time left.

Harry left the Hogs Head with a smile on his face, but that soon disappeared when everyone turned to stare at him, just as they usually did. And, with sagging shoulders, he left to go and once again try to reassure people that like would soon be as they like it.

* * *

"Mr Potter, do you ever wish that you had a quiet and peaceful life, or do you enjoy the excitement of finding villains and ridding the world of evil?"

Lights flashed at him from every angle so that he could hardly see, but Harry could not help but stare menacingly at the reporter who had asked such a stupid question.

"Of course I wish I had a quiet life!" He shouted over all the new questions that were being fired at him, "My whole life I've wished I was a normal boy, then a normal man, but its never happened. I wish it right now!"

The reporter seemed quite surprised by Harry's answer to the question, but nodded anyway and started to scribble things on a notepad.

The rest of the conference was like that, stupid questions that anyone could have answered. And when Harry finished his long-winded speech to the public at the end, they all cheered and he apparated back to the Hogs Head before any additional questions could be asked.

He hated this pub; it really did stink and look terrible. But this was the one place that the ministry could think to put the Potter family so that Malfoy couldn't find them. And to be honest Harry thought it was a ridiculous idea! It was a pub! It was easier to find Harry here than anywhere else in the country! But the ministry were ALWAYS right, and they believed it to be some sort of reverse psychology. Like Malfoy knew Harry wouldn't be there so why look there? Still, Harry and Ginny alike thought it was ridiculous.

He walked slowly up the stairs to his, Ginny's and Liam's room, only to find that Liam was completely alone when he got there. He pulled his wand out of his pocket in a flash and looked around the room before looking at Liam.

"Liam, where's your mum?" He asked when he found that the room seemed to be quite clear.

"She won't come out of the bafroom…" Liam answered sulkily.

Harry eyed the closed bathroom door and suddenly realised that he could hear sobs coming from the inside.

"Liam, go and sit on your bed."

Liam did as he was told and Harry walked up to the bathroom door.

"Gin," He said softly, "You in there?"

There was a loud sniff as a reply. Harry tried to open the door but it was locked. He pointed his wand at the lock and opened it. Upon walking into the bathroom, he saw a ginger haired mess lying on the floor; make-up stains down her face and cheeks redder that Harry had seen them in years.

"Ginny!" He ran and sat beside her, pulling her mangled hair out of her face and stroking her cheek.

She looked up at him and attempted to stop crying, but nothing really happened.

"Ginny, what's happened?" Harry asked tentatively, he knew that whatever it was wouldn't be good news. Perhaps she went to the Ministry to find her dad dead in his office or something…

"Oh Harry…" She tried in between sobs, "It's…"

"Mummy, are you ok?" Liam appeared out of nowhere at Ginny's side.

"Liam go back to the bed," Harry said. He couldn't help but feel that having Liam around would make this situation even worse.

"But mummy…"

"Go Liam!" He shouted and Liam ran out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

"You didn't have to shout at him…" Ginny said, still crying quite hard.

But Harry didn't care about that just now, "Ginny, what's happened?"

Ginny looked solidly at him and suddenly seemed to gather the strength to stop crying. "Oh Harry… I don't want to tell you. You'll be heart-broken."

He wouldn't be heart-broken if her dad died… only upset… it was Ron… Or Hermione…

Ginny could obviously see what he was thinking, and slowly started to nod.

Harry's heart jumped into his throat and he couldn't swallow properly.

"My dad apparated here Harry, about fifteen minutes ago," Ginny explained clearly, "They… They found," She broke down again but Harry couldn't stand the waiting any longer.

"Was it Ron or Hermione?" He tried to shout at her but it came out merely as a whisper.

Ginny breathed deeply as she looked at him and said quite forcefully, "They found… They found Ron's body in an alley."

Harry said nothing but tried to concentrate on his breathing. After a good few minutes he asked, "Where's Hermione now?"

"She at her house," Ginny answered, but when Harry stood up and got ready to disapparate she added, "She doesn't want to see anyone!"

"She'll want to see me," He said. And with that he disappeared from view.

* * *

Harry knocked firmly on the door to Ron and Hermione's house, still with a dry face but very blank expression.

"Not now please," He heard Hermione call from inside.

"Hermione it's me," He called back to her. And less than a minute later the door flew open and he saw something he hadn't seen since his first year at Hogwarts. Hermione crying.

That alone brought the lump back to Harry's throat. Hermione had always fought the urge to cry unless at a funeral. Now he thought about it, the only other time Harry had seen her cry was indeed at Dumbledore's funeral.

Suddenly, Hermione fell into his arms and cried even harder than before. The people on the street evidently found it all rather interesting, so Harry slowly helped Hermione get back inside the house and closed the door behind him. They went and sat in the living room together on the sofa for a long while, Harry's arms wrapped the whole time around Hermione who cried, and he let her cry.

After near enough half an hour, Hermione's tears slowed and she stopped crying, just resting her head on Harry's sopping wet shoulder.

"Ginny said you didn't want to see anyone," Harry said in a blank tone.

"That's because I didn't want to see just anyone," Hermione answered with a groggy voice.

"I know."

He turned to look at her and she gave the weakest smile he'd ever seen, but it meant so much.

There was another long moments pause until Hermione said sadly, "Why, Harry?"

He sighed, "If I told you, you'd hate me."

"Why would I hate you?" She asked incredulously.

"Malfoy wants revenge on me. So he killed Ron," He answered.

Hermione gave a whimper at the word 'killed', but then said, "Revenge just for killing his 'master'? He's so pathetic. Well I don't blame you Harry, not at all."

Harry's heart, which was already torn in two, split a few more times. Would she still not blame him when she found out the real reason Malfoy wanted revenge? But Harry had made a decision to tell her everything the second he found out Ron was dead. He should have told both her and Ron everything years ago.

"He doesn't was revenge because I killed Voldemort," He said, and not giving her time to react, he added, "I killed his son."

To Harry's great surprise, Hermione did not throw him out of her house, nor did she start saying 'don't be ridiculous'. She just sat watching him for two minutes, and then asked very calmly, "When?"

Without looking at her again he answered, "Before Ginny and I got married, that time when I was away for over a year."

"Oh Harry," She said, sounding more disappointed than threatened or scared, "Why?"

"Because I was mad at Ginny, wasn't I? I murdered 5 people."

This time Hermione sighed. "That's what muggle psychiatric doctors are for."

Harry looked confusedly at her, and then laughed. She laughed too.

"I still don't blame you," Hermione said once they had stopped laughing (which was very quickly). Harry's face drooped again and she added, "And Ron wouldn't want you to beat yourself up about it. He loved you too much for you to hate yourself."

"I told you both to stick together. I told you both to be careful after I found out it was Malfoy the other day," Harry mused more to himself than Hermione.

Hermione started to cry again. "He was just going to work… To make a living…"

Harry couldn't stand to see her cry for more than a minute, and said the first thing that popped into his head.

"Unlike him…"

"What?" Hermione sniffed.

"Well, it was unlike Ron to try and make a living," He tried to smile.

Hermione coughed out a real smile and nodded her head. "Unlike him to do anything really, wasn't it?"

Harry laughed a little bit and said, "Yeah… It was…"

And they sat there for hours. Talking about Ron and the good times they'd spent with him. And when Harry finally fell asleep, all he could see were the figures of two eleven year old boys and a very bushy haired girl sitting under a tree in the grounds of a castle somewhere far away.

* * *

**A/N** Wow, sorry it took so long to come up. And sorry this chapter drags a bit. Ok, drags a lot… I had to get back into writing after a week of no Harry Potter at all lol!! And even before I went away I hadn't written because I was re-reading the sixth book so I apologise! (NINE DAYS EVERYONE!!!) But hopefully I'll get a couple more chapters up before number seven comes out… Thanks for reading!!! 


	6. It Might Come True

**A/N** Hello!! Thanks to reviewers:

**SierraPotter: **Indeed there is a lot of drama lol! Please read on…

**Kingmunkey:** Awww wow a new reviewer!! I love new reviewers hehe!! Anyway… Thank you so much for taking the time to read the first story AND this one hehe its very nice of you! And I do like twists, so get ready, well, I guess you've gathered that lol! And I know, I'm terrified about the last book, I don't want it to end and if Harry dies I'll cry for days lol! Anyway thanks for reviewing!

**Coudle: **Hey I haven't heard from you in a while! Thanks for saying the last chapter was well written, I like it when people reassure me hehe!! And I promise this chapter isn't as sad. :)

…It Might Come True

"I love you Ron."

Harry heard the voice that he knew so well lying next to him; he couldn't bear to wake its source up and remind her that her husband was dead.

He heard her start and question in a shocked voice, "Harry?"

He sighed and turned to face her, "Sorry Hermione."

There was a short pause as realisation dawned in Hermione's mind.

"Oh Harry!" She cried.

* * *

"Where have you been?!" Ginny rounded on him as soon as he walked through their bedroom door an hour later. "I've been worried sick!"

"Not now Ginny," Harry tried to shrug her off as he walked into the bathroom, but one second after he locked the door it flew open again and Ginny walked in.

"No – now!" She demanded.

Harry couldn't take all her shouts, all he wanted to do was be alone. For five minutes! The last hour he had spent at Hermione's was agony; she had cried and cried, more than last night – but Harry hadn't shed a tear. And he knew that was why he was feeling so bad. He wanted to be alone to cry, to shout, to throw things… Just to feel a tiny bit better.

"Well?" Ginny prompted him, "Where have you been?!"

"Where do you think I've been?" He replied sarcastically, knowing it should be obvious.

But all too suddenly, Ginny's angry eyes shrank into the same terrified and worried ones as yesterday, and Harry knew what she was thinking he'd been doing.

"Get out," He said in his best calm voice.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking… I know you wouldn't do that again…" Ginny stuttered quickly.

"Get out!" He shouted again.

Ginny turned quickly and ran out of the room, closing the door behind her. Harry span on the spot and punched the closest thing to him, just to let out some anger.

The glass in the mirror shattered everywhere and his hand bled very quickly.

"Harry!" Ginny came running back into the room at the sound of smashing glass. "Oh, Harry!"

She held her wand above the cuts to heal them as quickly as possible but Harry shoved her away.

"I don't want to talk to you," He whispered.

Ginny stood for a moment, staring sadly at him, "Harry…"

"Will you leave me alone please?" Harry whispered as calmly as he could.

Ginny started to cry and walked slowly out of the room.

Once the door had again closed, Harry sighed and grasped his hand with his other to try and stop the pain. He pulled his left hand away and it too was covered in blood. He didn't know healing spells that well, so he clicked his fingers and twirled on the spot to leave the room.

Harry had knocked on the front door of Hermione's house a few times, but there was no answer, perhaps she was asleep? Harry thought it better to go and check that she was ok if she was even there, so he unlocked the front door and walked in to the hall. As soon as he entered he could hear Hermione's trembling voice talking to her son, James.

Harry walked towards the room her voice was coming from and stopped when at the door. He saw her crouching on the floor at her son's height. He was older than Liam, so taller and probably more understanding. He knew what Hermione was going to say.

"James, your dad… He's gone… He won't come back…"

"He will come back! He will!" Harry could tell that James and Hermione had been having this conversation for quite a while, and James was refusing to believe it. "You wait and see! He'll come back!"

And with that James ran towards the door, not even acknowledging Harry, and ran out of the room.

Hermione didn't look at Harry, just exasperatedly got up and sat on the sofa. She had obviously seen him before now, however, as she said, "He won't believe me…"

"He… He will in time…" Harry said, walking into the living room.

"Will he? I don't know what I… Harry your hand!" Hermione had finally looked at him and seen the dripping blood that was falling on her wooden floor. She jumped up and took her wand from the table at the other end of the room and started to heal his hand. "What did you do?" She asked.

"Why wasn't your wand in your belt?" Harry asked angrily, ignoring her question.

"What? Oh, I was sat down and it was digging into my stomach, so I took it out," Hermione answered carelessly.

"You're so stupid!" Harry shouted, pulling away from her, her eyes widened in shock, "You'd think that after your husband died yesterday you'd keep it with you!"

Hermione's eyes filled up with water and she turned around to face the window.

Harry sighed and walked up to her, "I'm sorry, I'm just a bit on edge."

"I can't tell," She replied in a teary voice.

"I just want you to be safe," He said, turning her round and hugging her, "I don't want to loose you too."

Hermione sniffed and wiped away her tears. "I know… Now, what did you do to your hand?" She asked, starting to heal it again.

Harry was shocked by the abrupt change in conversation and looked at his half-healed hand, "Oh," He said, "I didn't punch Ginny. Got the mirror instead."

"Harry!"

"Don't worry I didn't aim for her either, I was just mad. She was asking where I was all last night," Harry explained, sitting down.

"Well wasn't that obvious?" Hermione asked.

"I thought so, but she thought I was off killing people…" He paused, "Like I used to when someone died…"

Hermione didn't reply straight away, she seemed to be thinking about what to say next.

"Well," She started, "You've changed now, she shouldn't even have thought it."

"She doesn't trust me anymore. I'm afraid she won't leave me alone with Liam," Harry confided.

"I'm sure that's not true… Does Liam know yet?" Hermione asked.

"I'm not sure, don't think so…" Harry replied sadly.

"Well, you should be the one to tell him," Hermione told him.

"But, Ginny's Ron's sister, she should tell Liam," Harry argued.

Hermione shook her head and said knowingly, "Ginny won't hold it together while she's saying it, and it's going to be hard enough for Liam to understand anyway without his mother blubbering. I know you won't cry when you say it. And you'll state the obvious. You'll just say…" She took a deep breath and looked directly in front of her at the floor while saying "Ron's dead…"

Harry looked at her then, really looked at her. Her expression was tired and sick-looking; almost ragged. Her eyes stayed fixed at the point that she told about Ron's death, like she was trying to convince it, and herself. He just wanted to hold her and take her back in time. He wanted to make her tell Ron not to go to work that day, stay in with her and practice stunning and defensive spells. But he knew he couldn't turn back time. And he also dreaded the thought that if he could, both of his best friends would now be gone forever.

"How do you know I won't cry?" Harry asked, trying to pull Hermione out of her world where, Harry guessed, Ron was probably kissing her.

"Because I know you haven't already," Hermione answered, turning to look at him.

Harry was quite stunned by this comment and yet he didn't know why. It was true that he hadn't yet cried, but how did Hermione guess that? He could have cried before he went to her the night before, and even when he got back to the Hog's Head that morning – he could have just been being strong for Hermione.

The two of them sat in silence for a few minutes and Hermione carried on healing Harry's hand. And after she had done this she said, "You need to be with Ginny now."

"What?" Harry asked.

"Go and make up with her. She needs you more than I do," Hermione attempted another smile.

"No!" Harry protested, "I mean, what about you?"

Hermione took another deep breath but still looked at him as she answered, "I need to learn to be on my own with James now. I can't learn that if you're in the wrong place all the time Harry."

"The wrong place…" Harry couldn't help feeling as though he was being rejected by a first girlfriend.

"What I mean is," Hermione rushed, "Ginny _is_ Ron's sister; she's known him for far longer than I could have dreamt to have been with him, and she feels love for him that I'll never understand, because it's different to mine. She needs you Harry, go and be with her."

Harry nodded at Hermione's wise words and hugged her. Then, less than five minutes later, he was sitting on a bed hugging his wife, the way it should be.

* * *

One week later Harry, Ginny and Liam moved back into their house, against the ministry's wishes, and much to Harry's amusement. He, with the help of Ginny, had decided that it would be funny to see the ministry get angry with him, and yet watch them have to put up with it if they wanted to keep Harry on their side.

Ron's funeral had been four days after his death; and it was remarkable. Harry never knew that his best friend knew so many people. It made him laugh and remember Ron and Hermione's wedding; they said it would be small, not a lot of people, and there were more people than there were at Harry and Ginny's wedding!

Since then, however, there had been more attacks on people – thankfully on people that Harry didn't know – and a few had died, a few had been sent to St Mungo's for treatment, and one or two came out unscathed. But Harry had admitted to Ginny thinking that those who came out unharmed in any way were faking it just to get the publicity. And that really made him angry; there he was, trying as hard as he could not to be seen by a reporter for at least a few hours, when there were people out there lying to be in a newspaper.

For a good example, the one he was reading at the moment – it shocked him quite a lot to see it. Apparently Seamus Finnegan had fought off Malfoy and three other Death Eaters single handed. But when Harry thought about it, it didn't surprise him. Seamus had always wanted to do one better than Harry secretly. And he said it happened the say after Ron's funeral – which he went to.

Finally, after twenty minutes of reading the Daily Prophet, Harry put it down on his bedside table and lazily got out of bed. When putting some clothes on he saw an owl flying towards his bedroom window; and another owl flying towards the kitchen window where Ginny was downstairs. They were owls that Harry had never seen before, so slowly, he pulled his wand out from his belt and stood waiting, poised and ready should anything happen.

Finally the bird flew into Harry's room and landed with a slight thump on Ginny's dresser table. Hedwig gave a nasty hoot from the other side of the room which was always a sign to Harry that a particular bird was not wanted by her.

Harry hastily pulled the letter that the owl was carrying from its beak and opened it. While he read, the owl seemed to stare at him in a trained-to-do-so fashion.

_Potter,_

_I was glad to hear that my revenge on you has started successfully with the Weasels death. I hope you didn't get too upset about it, as there are worse to come._

_I'll have you know that the reason I didn't kill Granger was because I believe her to be of little help to you, she's no threat to me, so why bother? But then again, she is a good friend to you isn't she, Potter? I may have to re-think my plans on how to upset you… Yes, I think Granger will be a tick off the list. And then, I'll get your whore of a wife, followed, lastly, by that brat you call a son. I'm going to do to him exactly what you did to my son, Potter._

_But first, like I said, mud-bloods are my top priority…_

Harry screwed up the paper and sprinted towards the door of the room, ran down the stairs and into the kitchen where Ginny and Liam stood, quite normally.

"Ginny!" He shouted as he ran up to them, "Liam."

"Harry what is it?" Ginny asked quickly.

"Who was that letter from?" He asked, pointing to the parchment in her hand.

"Hermione, she said she's coming to stay here for a while, apparently she just got a bit of a scare about something…" Ginny answered.

"I think I know what it was," Harry handed her the letter and watched her read. Once she had finished he said, "Do you think she got one too?"

Ginny's face had gone white and she swallowed while she nodded.

"I'll go to her house to make sure she's ok," Harry said, but just has he poised his fingers to disapparate, Hermione appeared in front of him, clutching James's hand in hers.

"Harry!" She said loudly, letting go of James's hand and leaping on Harry, "I got a letter from Malfoy… He… It…!"

"I know, don't worry, I got one too," Harry explained, not letting her go.

"Oh Harry," Hermione cried exasperatedly, "He said he was going to come and kill me! I was terrified, I didn't know what else to do!"

Hermione's arms didn't leave Harry's neck and shoulder region until Ginny pulled Harry away.

"You need to report this," Ginny said stiffly, eyeing Hermione, "And we need to find a secure place for Hermione to stay."

"She's staying here!" Harry said instantly.

Ginny opened her mouth to say something but obviously couldn't find the words, so she shut it again. Harry guessed what she was thinking but didn't want to voice it, and he saw Hermione thinking exactly the same thing.

"No, Harry, it's fine, we'll find somewhere to go, don't worry," Hermione said slowly.

"No, you're staying here, and that's final," He said, stressing the word 'final' in Ginny's direction.

Ginny looked to the floor to calm herself and then straight back at Harry before saying, "So, what are you going to do about this? You can't let Malfoy go around scaring us all the time."

"No," Harry replied truthfully, "And I won't let him…" Harry decided as he spoke, "I'm going to see the ministry officials tomorrow, and if they let me, I'm going to go and find him."

"That could take weeks!" Ginny protested.

"She's right Harry, think how long it took to get rid of You-Know-Who," Hermione said.

"Come on, you two can't honestly think that Draco Malfoy is as bad as Voldemort, can you? It's not as though Malfoy has six Horcruxes for me to track down. And I bet he's stupid enough to think that I won't do anything because I'm depressed about it or something."

"Harry, he may be just Malfoy to us," Hermione started, "But to everyone else in the world he _is_, whether you like it or not, the new Dark Lord. He may have developed his powers in the last six years. You shouldn't underestimate him."

Harry took in Hermione's words with caution, but was still unable to believe that it could be just as hard to track down Malfoy as it was to find Voldemort.

"Ok, thank you Hermione," Harry said sarcastically, "But this time tomorrow, I'll be off to find Malfoy. And when I do, I'm going to kill him."

* * *

**A/N** There you go!! Oohh it's all getting good isn't it?! Well I hope you think so anyway! Thanks for reading, and I'm afraid that I don't think there will be another chapter up before the last book comes out (2 DAYS PEOPLE!!!!), well in fact, I know there won't be. I don't have the time. So, I'll probably read the book quite quickly and then read it again, so maybe in about two weeks there will be an update? Please don't give up hope though, I'm sure most other authors writing for Harry Potter won't update for a while. So I'll talk to you again when I know if Harry is alive or… dead… for real!!! Bye!!xxxx 


	7. Getting Darker

**A/N** Hiya I'm back after 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'!!! What an AMAZING book!!!!!!! Ahem, anyway…… Obviously some of the stuff in this story is really different to the real book, but it was anyway wasn't it, so we won't worry about that!! And finally before you can read the chapter, thanks to my one reviewer from chapter six:

**Coudle:** Thanks for reviewing the last chapter! Yeah Harry 7 is now out, was amazing wasn't it?! Anyway, here's the next chapter for you!

Getting Darker

Harry's plan to leave to find Malfoy the next day did not turn into reality. It took him three days to convince the Minister for Magic to even let him go. The minister said that without Harry around, the world would be in complete chaos. When Harry had finally persuaded him that the world would be fine without him for a couple of weeks, the Minister agreed. However, he did have one condition; that Ginny and Liam went back into hiding until Malfoy had been killed – and he would be killed. Harry simply put his foot down when stating that. There was no way that he would settle for Malfoy just to be locked up, he would only escape.

However, even after three days persuasion to let Harry leave, he still could not go. There had been more letters delivered to Hermione and himself, from Malfoy, consisting mainly of death threats. Hermione was terrified out of her wits and Ginny was getting insanely jealous of the whole ordeal. Harry knew what Malfoy was trying to do in sending letters only to himself and Hermione, and it truly was working. Harry guessed that by trying to make Ginny jealous of Harry's protection for Hermione their marriage would fall apart, and so that would be another loved one Harry had lost. Harry tried to convince Ginny constantly that it was only her that he loved, but Ginny was having none of it. Even when he put forth his theory about Malfoy she seemed unconvinced. Although Harry had to admit he couldn't blame her for being as such, for Hermione was now sleeping on a camper bed in his and Ginny's room, along with Liam and James. Hermione had strongly objected the idea two days ago, but when another letter came from Malfoy later that day, she gave in.

It was now the sixth day after Harry had said he would leave to find Malfoy, and he, Ginny and Hermione were sitting in the living room discussing the letters that Malfoy sent almost on a daily basis, with Liam and James sitting blissfully in the corner playing together.

"I still think Malfoy is scared of you Harry," Hermione stated. She had told them this theory dozens of times since she'd been living with them, but Harry refused to believe it.

"No, Hermione, he's trying to break me and Ginny up, I've told you this before!" Harry objected, looking pointedly at Ginny, who sat on the other sofa alone giving him an evil look.

"But Harry, it's been almost a week and Malfoy hasn't put any of his threats into action because he knows that we're with you. He got…" She stuttered a little bit, "He got Ron because you weren't there; he didn't have to fight you. These letters are really letting him down. We know he doesn't want to have to fight you. Because he knows you'll win…"

The three sat in silence for a while, Harry thinking that once again, Hermione was probably right.

"Well I think that the sooner you leave the better," Ginny said suddenly.

Harry started at her.

"Ginny!" Hermione shouted.

"All I mean is, the sooner he goes, the quicker we get into hiding, and you won't have to worry anymore," Ginny said nastily to Hermione.

"You mean I won't have to sleep in the same room as you anymore?" Hermione said.

"Take it how you like," Ginny said sharply.

"Gin," Harry cut in, shaking his head at her.

They watched each other stonily for a moment, Ginny's face telling him that she hated him, and it cut deep into Harry's chest. Then suddenly she stood up and strode out of the room and up the stairs.

"Oh Harry, I'm so sorry!" Hermione said as soon as the door had slammed shut.

"Don't be, you don't have to be spoken to like that," Harry answered her, not taking his eyes off the door.

He too stood up and left the room, following Ginny up the stairs and into the bedroom where he found her looking out of the window, gripping the sill tightly with her hands.

"You had no right to speak to Hermione like that," Harry said sternly.

It was a moment before Ginny turned round and sped towards him. He glimpsed tear streaks down her cheeks before she slapped him round the face with her left hand.

He felt hot, sticky blood falling down his cheek where her wedding ring had pierced his skin, but he didn't care. She still glared at him, obviously not caring that she had scarred him, or at least hiding her guilty face with one of pure loathing.

Harry could think of nothing to say to her, and they stood there for what felt like hours glaring at each other until a brown owl flew swiftly in through the window and landed with dainty feet on the dresser.

Harry finally wiped his face of blood and walked past Ginny and over to the owl. As he did so he looked at his hand, now covered in blood – he must have been bleeding quite badly.

He took the rolled up parchment from the owl and read.

_Harry,_

_Need to see you now. My office. Bring no one._

_Kingsley._

Harry read it twice and then turned to leave.

"Where are you going?" Ginny asked quietly, though keeping the death stare.

"To the Ministry," Harry replied while walking out of the room. But he knew Ginny would follow him, "Kingsley wants to see me."

"I'll come with you!" Ginny said, running out of the front door after him now.

"No," He answered before disapparating, "Just me."

And just before he was sent through the air tight tube that was apparation, he saw Ginny's face return to the 'I hate you' stare.

* * *

Harry rushed back through the front door to his house one hour later, full of exhilaration and excitement. Kingsley had said it, he was telling Harry to go and find Malfoy where he had been spotted apparently setting up a camp in the middle of a forest in Wales. Neither Kingsley nor Harry knew what on earth Malfoy was doing, but they had come to the conclusion that if he was setting up a sort of camp, he would be there for hours, maybe even a couple of days.

Harry ran up the stairs, greeting neither Ginny nor Hermione on his way. When in his bedroom he grabbed a rucksack from a cupboard and started to throw random things in.

He was so absorbed in packing quickly that he didn't realise when four figures came and stood in the doorway.

"You're leaving, aren't you?"

Ginny's voice made him jump and he turned around quickly, pointing his wand at the door. He lowered it when he saw his wife, son, best friend and godson watching him.

"He's been sighted," Harry said simply, returning to his packing, "I can't wait a moment."

"Were you even planning on saying goodbye?" Ginny said cruelly from behind him.

Harry's body stiffened and then he turned and said, "Did you really think I was just going to leave?"

"Well you weren't bothered to come and tell us what had happened," She answered harshly.

Harry breathed deeply and then said as calm as he could, "You're slowing me down."

"You won't be gone long, will you?" Hermione's soft voice contrasted with Ginny's so much so that it made Harry have to strain to hear her.

Finally he had finished packing. He slung his rucksack around his arm and put his wand safely in his belt.

"I'll be gone as long as it takes to finish him," Harry answered Hermione, walking up to her and taking her hand. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ginny's ears and face go bright red, burning with anger.

"I trust you, you won't take that long," Hermione said, pulling Harry into a hug.

Harry then knelt down and said to James, his Godson, "Look after your mum and Liam, I'll see you soon."

James nodded and reached up to hold his mothers hand. Harry turned to Liam.

"Where are you going Dad?" Liam asked him quietly.

"I'm just going to help some people," Harry said, trying to make it seem like not such a big deal, "I won't be long," He added at Liam's saddened face.

Liam sniffed and nodded slowly. Harry kissed his only son on his cheek and stood up in front of Ginny.

He went to hug her, not wanting to leave on bad terms, but she stepped back and turned her head away. Harry saw Hermione about to say something, but he held up his hand to stop her, not taking his eyes off Ginny.

"Bye then," He said to Ginny, and turned and picked up his Firebolt.

Tears stung his eyes as he walked towards the window. He was just about to jump out when a teary voice said, "Let me come too."

Harry turned his head and saw Ginny crying. "Please let me come," She cried.

Harry stood back on the carpeted floor and looked at Hermione, who understood that she was to leave and take the boys with her, leaving Harry and Ginny alone.

"You can't come," He said softly. "Aurors from the Ministry will be here in a couple of hours to take the four of you into hiding."

Ginny seemed to find it hard to think of a reply, so looked at the floor while trying not to cry.

"You're so selfish!" She yelled suddenly, making Harry jump.

"How is this selfish?" He shouted back, "I'm doing it to save your lives!"

"You're doing it to get revenge on Malfoy for killing Ron! Do you think I'm stupid?" She paused, staring at Harry in such a way that he'd never seen, and he couldn't figure out what it meant. "You're going to kill him just to kill him, not going to kill him to save us."

"Do you really think I don't love you, any of you?" Harry asked quietly, hurt by Ginny's comment.

"I know you love Hermione," Ginny said harshly, "But I can't think where your love for me has gone."

Harry stared at her for minutes on end, unable to believe what he had just heard. She really did think that he didn't love her anymore.

"I don't love you anymore either," Ginny said, evidently trying to make her voice steady.

"Don't say that," Harry said even quieter. He couldn't believe what was happening. He wouldn't let his marriage die because of Draco Malfoy.

"Why shouldn't I? It's true…" Ginny said, letting one or two tears fall down her cheeks.

"I'm not going to leave until you tell me you're lying," Harry said stubbornly.

"Then you'll be here forever."

"Ginny I love you," Harry said softly, "And only you. You know that."

"Don't!" Ginny screamed at him and ran up to him, punching him in the chest.

It didn't hurt, so he let her punch him. She punched and slapped and screamed until she lost all her energy, "I hate you!" She shouted, "I hate you!"

"Ginny!" But she still hit him. "Ginny!" Harry took hold of her arms and held her away from him. He looked at her wet, blotchy face. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she shook.

Then, suddenly, Ginny fell into Harry's arms and cried into his chest, more that she'd cried in years. Harry carried her to the bed and sat down next to her, letting her cry on him.

"You promised you'd never leave me, you can't go…" She cried.

"I just want you to be safe Gin," Harry said, pulling her head up so that she was looking at his face, "I'm just doing what's best for you."

They sat for moments in silence, and then Ginny whispered, "I don't hate you, Harry."

"I know," He said.

"I love you."

Harry kissed her wet, salty lips which opened up for him in a second, and he slid his tongue inside her mouth. Then suddenly his t-shirt wasn't on him anymore, and neither was hers. They sat for a long time just kissing, topless, until Harry undid her bra and slipped it off. Their kissing was getting more passionate, and the room seemed to be getting hotter and more clammy.

The two of them hadn't kissed like this for years. Not since they had tried to have a second baby many times before realising that something was obviously wrong. That was when they started to argue a lot more, when Liam was three; and when Harry left to live with Ron and Hermione, and Harry ended up kissing Hermione instead. It was just a comfort kiss, but Ginny and Ron had found out. Ginny was a lot harder to apologise to than Ron. Since then, Ginny had never kissed him they way she used to, and she never left Harry and Hermione alone.

But now Harry felt different. He could feel all the lost love of the past three years falling into what was happening right now. He could feel it when Ginny took off his trousers, and when he took off hers, he could feel it in the touch of her skin on him, and he could feel it in the air around them, and then under the covers of the bed. And when love was rushing through him and out of him he could not think of a single thing, other than how much he loved his wife than lay, panting, beneath him.

* * *

"You're leaving?"

Harry jumped and fell to the floor with his jeans only halfway up his legs.

It had been almost two hours since Harry had returned from the Ministry, and it had taken him all of his will power to get out of the bed where he had laid naked next to Ginny for so long. The sun was now low in the sky, casting a golden glow through the still open window, and right onto the bed, where Ginny was still, watching him.

"I was going to wake you up," Harry said quickly.

"I believe you," Ginny smiled over to him, which made his chest feel warm.

Harry put the rest of his clothes on in silence and finally went to pick up his rucksack and broom, which had been so carelessly dropped earlier.

Then, with difficulty, he went to say goodbye to Ginny.

"The Aurors will be here soon to get you," He said quietly.

Ginny looked sadly at the cover of the bed and said nothing.

"I won't be gone long, I promise," Harry said, trying to smile.

"I'm sorry I said I hated you…" Ginny said, and began to cry.

"It's ok," Harry replied, putting an arm around her, "Who doesn't hate Harry Potter sometimes?" He tried to smile again. And Ginny gave a sort of, wince.

"And I do know you're doing it for us, and I'm sorry I was horrible to Hermione," All of Ginny's words came out very rushed as she tried to stop herself from Hermione.

"Don't worry about any of that now," Harry said, stroking her cheek, "Just look after yourself, and Liam."

"I will…"

Harry pulled her into another kiss, but it had barely begun when Hermione opened the door and poked her head in.

"Ginny the Aurors… Oh!"

Apparently Hermione had thought Harry left a while ago, and that Ginny was just sulking in her room.

"Sorry…" She mumbled, while Ginny pulled the duvet up a little higher.

"It's ok," Harry laughed, standing up. "I really have to go. Hermione, tell them Ginny will be down in a minute."

Hermione nodded and left the room.

Harry wanted to make this goodbye as un-painful as it could be, but he couldn't think how best to go about it.

"I'll see you soon, ok?" He said to Ginny, who was crying again. Ginny merely nodded and sat up higher in bed. "I love you Ginny, don't ever forget that."

"I love you too…"

"Here…" Harry took off his wedding ring from his finger and handed it to Ginny. "Don't loose it. I want it back when I come home."

They both smile and hugged each other, a hug that Harry never wanted to end.

"Ginny!"

Hermione calling up the stairs was the signal for Harry to go. He let go of Ginny and walked towards the window. After one last look at her face, and checking that he had his wand, he jumped and flew away into the ever darkening sky, leaving his one love behind him.

* * *

**A/N** There you go then. 'Be careful what you wish for, it might come true.' Harry wished for a quiet life and now he's got it, but not exactly what he wanted. Bless him… Thanks for reading! Next chapter will be up soon!! 


	8. Homecoming

**A/N** Hello!! Here's the next chapter, I've had some trouble writing it… So I hope you can understand it and enjoy it… But first, thanks to reviewers:

**Autumn Skys: **Hey! I love new reviewers! Thanks for the one word, lol!! No sarcasm intended here of course… lol! Anyway, here's the update for you!

**GoldxxSunlight: **Again I love new reviewers! And here's the update for you… But I didn't understand about the 'flying monkeys' comment?

**Coudle: **Yes… Everything is, back to normal…

Homecoming

"_You scared, Potter?"_

"_Don't fight me, Potter, you won't win."_

"_You will loose everything."_

"_Join me, Harry, and together, we will be great…"_

"_The famous Harry Potter, meets his end."_

"_I want you to look at me when I kill you! I want to see the lights leave your eyes!"_

Harry jolted up in his sleeping bag, breathing heavily. He needed water, but there was none to hand and he had foolishly left his wand on the other side of the tent. He tried to summon it, but his thoughts were not clearly on his wand.

Shakily, Harry clambered out of his sleeping bag and grabbed it. He gulped down the ice cold water he had conjured and went back to his bed.

For a period of time that seemed like hours, Harry tried to get back to sleep. But when he realised it wasn't going to happen anytime soon, he looked at his watch and realised it was his birthday. Today was Harry Potter's twenty-eighth birthday. Seventeen years ago – almost to the hour – Harry was told that he was a wizard; and no ordinary wizard either. But never, not in a million years, did he even _dream_ that seventeen years later he would be in a tent, alone, after just killing another infamous Dark Wizard.

He knew perfectly well why he had just had such a terrible nightmare about Malfoy and Voldemort. He knew that in his subconscious mind he was waiting for another Dark Lord to appear from the depths of the world to fight him. And he was terrified of it.

Malfoy had taunted him for the whole two years that Harry had been away from home, about the way in which he had killed Hermione, raped Ginny and strangled Liam to death. That was why Harry hadn't gone back to his house yet. After a week of Malfoy being dead and gone, Harry was still hiding. Hiding from the truth which awaited him when he arrived at his empty, ghostly house.

Draco Malfoy truly was a bastard.

But he was gone now. However, Harry still found it amazing that it took so long to kill him. In actual fact, the length of time that it _did_ take him to find and kill Malfoy was too painful to think about. He never wanted to think about any of it ever again. The loss of Hedwig after only a month of camping was a blow; but then Malfoy telling him that he had killed his only family and best friend made him want to abandon the whole quest. Obviously he decided not to.

Finally, after no sleep for a couple of hours, Harry came out of his reverie and realised that the sun was rising outside the tent, and it was time for him to go. After almost two years, Harry Potter was going home.

* * *

His hand trembled on the door handle one hour later. He wasn't sure if he could do it. Walk into the house which had been his for so many years, and then suddenly had no one in it. Ginny had been raped in this house in the past two years… and then killed…

Gulping, Harry shook away his thoughts and went to press the handle down. It didn't move.

"Alohamora," His horse voice whispered.

He pressed again, but still it would budge. There was only one reason for it; someone else was living here.

He couldn't believe it. That the Ministry would just _give away_ Harry Potter's house! Like he had never even existed.

Harry knocked on the door gently. No one came. He knocked a little harder, but still no one answered. Then he started lashing out at the wood, thumping it with all his mite, willing it to fight back.

Then suddenly the door flew open and he fell to the floor, his glasses falling off his face so that he couldn't see properly. There was a scream and a child started to cry. Harry flipped onto his back and pointed his wand to the source of the scream in a millisecond.

"How dare you?!" It was a woman shouting at him, "We've only just woken up you…"

She stopped talking abruptly.

Finally, still pointing his wand at the woman, Harry retrieved his glasses and put them on. How he wished he hadn't.

"Harry?"

Harry's breath caught in his throat and he found it hard to breathe properly for a moment before whispering, "H… Hermione?"

Hermione's face was pale, her cheeks much thinner than they had been when Harry had left two years ago… But why was he thinking such things?! Hermione was dead!

"Harry… Is it really you?" She started to cry.

"Hermynee…" The child in Hermione's arms started to moan. It was a little girl; she couldn't have been much older than one.

Hermione put the girl down and called out, "James! Come and look after Harriet will you?"

A boy that Harry recognised but couldn't quite believe he was seeing, ran into the room, gasped when he saw Harry on the floor with his wand held up to his mother.

"Mum!" James said loudly, but one stern look from his mother told him to pick up the little girl – Harriet – and leave the room.

"Harry…" Hermione said softly, "Harry, put your wand down."

He didn't know where his voice had gone, but it seemed to have left him. As Hermione knelt down beside him, he jerked his wand back and just continued to stare unblinkingly at her.

"Harry, it's me, it's Hermione," She smiled and nodded at him comfortingly.

Harry still couldn't find his voice, and he just shook his head.

"What do you mean, no?" Hermione smiled again, "It's me, I'm here…"

Finally, Harry spoke, albeit quietly, "He said you're dead…"

"Who did?"

"M… Malfoy…" Harry stuttered.

Hermione didn't say anything for a few seconds, but then shook her head and said, "Well I'm not, he lied to you, Harry. I'm here. Please, get up."

There was a desperation in her voice so sharp that Harry couldn't refuse it any longer.

He stood up, and the moment he did, Hermione's arms were wrapped around him so tightly that it was like she thought he was dead for two years, not the other way around.

"Oh Harry!" Hermione cried out, "I've missed you so much! I can't believe you're ok; alive! Where have you been?"

"You know where I've been!" Harry replied. It was the strangest feeling; it was like Hermione's hug had brought him back to the real world. He suddenly felt excited, and so, so happy. "I can't… It's…!"

"I know!" Hermione started to cry and hugged him again.

But there was still a burning feeling of dread in Harry stomach; "Where's Ginny?" He asked suddenly, and the burning feeling turned into a fire as Hermione's smile turned into a frown. "She's… Dead, isn't she?"

"No!" Hermione answered quickly. "No, she's not dead. She's in St. Mungo's."

"W… What's she doing there?" Harry asked.

Hermione's face brightened up, "I'll let her tell you. We'll go and see her later. She can talk and everything, but… Well, like I said, I'll let her tell you."

Harry frowned at her as she took his hand and led him into the living room. It hadn't changed at all; it was basically exactly as he left it. The only difference was there was a cot in front of the window. That jogged his memory for him.

"Who's Harriet?" He asked.

Hermione, had her back to him when he asked it, but he could still see her go rigid for a moment or two until she said, "I can't tell you right now, Harry…"

"Why?"

"Because… Well, because I want you to tell me everything about yourself. Where _have_ you been Harry? It said in the Prophet that Malfoy was killed a week ago, did you do it? Why didn't you come home? Ginny's been going out of her mind!"

"I may not know much right now but I feel like that wasn't a good choice of words…" Harry raised his eyebrow.

"Well… No… But Harry tell me!" Hermione persisted.

"I'd rather not go through the story a thousand times, so can we please go to St, Mungo's now, and I'll tell you and Ginny together?" Harry pleaded. Hermione looked weary, so Harry said, "She's my wife, Hermione. It doesn't make a difference how long I've been away, I want to see her."

Hermione thought and then sighed, "Ok, we'll go now. But I'm dropping the kids off at Molly's first."

Harry nodded enthusiastically and hugged her.

They set off for the Burrow five minutes later; all the while James was staring at him like he'd committed some huge crime. When they arrived at the Burrow, Harry hid underneath his Invisibility Cloak. He didn't want to go over all the fuss that Mrs Weasley would talk about before even seeing his wife.

Finally, half an hour later, Harry and Hermione arrived at St. Mungo's hospital. Harry, still under his cloak, followed Hermione through the corridors and in the lifts, and through more corridors before, finally, she stopped next to a closed door which had writing on it that read _Privately paid for room, Do Not Disturb._

Hermione turned to him and said, "Leave the cloak on until I come out and get you."

And with that she walked in, closing the door on Harry behind her.

Harry had to admit he was a little put out by the abrupt change of Hermione's attitude towards him. Was it his fault that he was pining to see his wife that he had thought dead for little over a year?

He went to sit down on a chair that was about three metres away from Ginny's room. He couldn't hear anything going on inside it, so why bother standing up?

He wished Hermione would hurry up with whatever she was saying to Ginny; each second of waiting was making him more and more nervous. Why he was nervous, he had no idea, but he certainly was. Perhaps it was the fact that the last time they had seen each other they had had the most passionate sex Harry could have dreamt of. But then again, why would that make him nervous, or embarrassed like a guilty teenager? He and Ginny were married!

About ten minutes after Hermione had left Harry, she came back out of the room, with a slight smile on her face, which had to be a good sign.

"You can go in now, Harry," She whispered to the room at large, for she could not see him.

Harry jumped off his chair and stroked Hermione's shoulder as he walked past, to let her know that he had heard her. And then he turned to face the room, and the ginger haired woman sitting on the bed that was inside it.

With a soft click, the door behind him closed, and he heard a meek little voice whisper, "Harry?"

Hearing her voice made him feel warm, and melt inside. His legs turned to jelly and his breath got quicker as he pulled his cloak off himself and watched Ginny turn to look at him.

They stood in silence for a long while, Harry taking in every inch of his wife that he could see. Was it possible for her to have gotten more beautiful in the terrible two years that she must have had, or was it just because Harry hadn't seen her for that long?

"I can't believe it…" Ginny said, making Harry jump slightly.

"I thought you were dead," Harry said. He had no idea where the comment came from.

"I thought _you_ were dead!" Ginny said without a smile.

Harry had no idea what to say… He walked forwards a little, and then a little bit more. He kept walking until he ended up on the chair next to Ginny's bed.

"I'm sorry…" He said quietly.

"Why didn't you write to me?" Ginny asked sharply, "The first month, and then nothing…"

"I… Hedwig… She died…" Harry spluttered.

"No!" She exclaimed.

"Yeah, and I couldn't go and buy another owl; my whereabouts would have been given away so easily," Harry explained.

"You own an invisibility cloak!" Ginny shouted.

Very taken aback, Harry said hastily, "But… Gin, it was too dangerous to go to Diagon Ally…"

"Don't call me that!"

"What?"

"Gin," She said in a mocking voice.

Harry started to breath heavily, he had no idea what was happening, "Why?"

"I hate it, I always have!" She shouted.

"No you haven't…" Harry was completely confused. What had happened to Ginny in the past two years?

"I think you should go," She said suddenly.

"No!"

"Hermione!" Ginny shouted louder than before, calling out of the closed door.

"Ginny!" Harry said exasperatedly.

"HERMIONE!" She screamed

The door flew open and Hermione rushed inside. "What is it, Ginny?"

"You told me this was Harry!" Ginny yelled at her.

"It, well it is Ginny…" Hermione said, trying to hold a squirming Ginny still on the bed.

"No it's not, get him out of here!" Ginny cried.

"Gin, it's me… It's Harry…"

"You're not Harry!" She shouted louder still, "Get out! Get out!"

"Harry, you'd better go," Hermione said, holding Ginny's hand.

"No, not until you tell me what's happened to her!" He argued.

"I'll tell you later, please leave," Hermione begged.

He looked from one girl to the other; the love of his life crying, and his best friend trying to calm her.

Silently, he picked up his cloak and walked out of the room. Closing the door behind him.

* * *

**A/N** There you go! I hope I made the time difference clear for you at the start, and then later on I just said it like a thousand times anyway!! Poor Harry eh? Gets told everyone he loves in the world is dead then goes home to find out they're alive but his wife is in a crazy hospital, then she decides she hates him!! Bless him… Poor boy… Man… 


	9. First Sight

**A/N** Thanks to reviewers:

**GoldxxSunlight: **Thanks for saying you loved it! Here's the next chapter!

**Coudle: **Hehe thanks, hope this update is quick enough for you!

First Sight

Harry sat fuming in the wreckage. He was trying so hard to steady his breathing, but it wasn't going to happen any time soon. He sat with his elbows on his knees and his head bent forward, as if crying – though not a single tear had fallen down his cheek. His hands were wrapped together, each one rubbing the other so fiercely that it was like they were having a battle of their own. And next to him on the sofa, sat his wand.

Suddenly, there was a slight thump that he knew was the front door closing. He heard Hermione stifle a slight scream, crossed with a gasp, out in the hallway before she started to call out, "Harry! Harry are you here?!" She sounded worried for him.

Harry didn't move from his position of fury, nor did he open his mouth and speak to reassure her.

Finally, after running up the stairs and checking each room – still calling for him – she ran into the living room.

"Harry where are… Oh."

He could feel her presence behind him in the doorway, but still, he did not turn around.

"What have you done?" She whispered.

"That all depends," Harry answered sarcastically, "What does it look like I've done?"

Pause.

"It _looks_ like you've used the 'bombarda' spell on everything your wand could reach," Hermione answered slowly, "But I don't think that's what happened at all, is it?"

Then, for no reason at all, Harry crumpled. His hot hands flew up to his face and welcomed hot, salty tears that streamed out of his eyes. Hermione was by his side in seconds.

"It's ok," She reassured him, "We can fix it."

"It's not that," Harry cried, "I don't care about any of it!"

"Of course you do!" Hermione said, rubbing his back.

"What's happened to her?" Harry asked, looking at Hermione for the first time.

"She's got depression, Harry," She answered without a second thought, "That's all! It'll go away by the time she realises you're back."

Harry shook his head. He believed her, but he knew Ginny, and that wasn't the only thing that was wrong, "No," He said, "Something else has happened, hasn't it?"

This time, Hermione flinched before saying, "She… She was raped…"

Harry felt his face, and eyes, turning red, "By Malfoy."

"How do you know?" She asked, backing away a little; and Harry thought she was scared of the redness that had appeared in his eyes – as it had so often in the past two years.

"He told me," Harry replied, trying to keep a straight face and stay calm in the effort to make his eyes turn green again.

"He told you?" Hermione asked, shocked.

"He told me a lot of things," Harry replied, "I thought they were all true. Then when I came back this morning I thought they were all lies. I don't know what to believe anymore."

"Well, maybe I can tell you," Hermione offered, "What else did Malfoy say that he'd done?"

"None of that matters now," Harry dismissed, feeling his eyes turn green again, "What happened to Ginny after he… Well, you know…"

Hermione put a comforting hand on his shoulder, which Harry could tell meant more bad news was coming.

"Harry," Hermione started. She spoke in a voice Harry had never heard before. It was like she was drained and tired and just sick of her life. "There's a lot you need to know, and I'm really not the one to tell you."

His anger rose again so quickly that he didn't even realise he had stood up. But before he could even speak – or shout – Hermione continued to talk.

"You need to speak to Ginny; you need to hear it from her point of view because, honestly, I have no idea where her mind has been for this past year."

Hermione shook her head when she spoke, and Harry saw a single tear fall down her cheek. Then she breathed in deeply and stood up next to him. He had the feeling that Hermione had been holding in tears for two years, and that was what was making her look so drained. And then Harry looked at her. Not just at her face, which he had been doing since the morning, but all of her. She was thin. Her clothes sagged off her like they'd been stretched and then thrown back to her. Her eyes were deep into her head and dark. Her hair was a mess – more than usual – as it fell effortlessly down her back in a straggly mop fashion. She, overall, looked terrible.

Harry then looked around the room he stood in and felt a stab of guilt. If Hermione looked this bad, it meant she was run off her feet with work, and here Harry was making the place look even worse. He guessed she was looking after whoever that baby was as well as James and…

Harry's thoughts stopped abruptly.

"Liam…" He whispered more to himself than to Hermione.

"He's alive," Hermione cut in quickly.

"Alive…" Harry whispered again.

"Yes, Harry!" Hermione said, sounding slightly exasperated.

"Where is he?" Harry asked.

"At my parents' house," She answered.

"What's he doing there?" Harry couldn't help but feel that his son should be at the Burrow, with his grandparents, rather than at Hermione's parents' house.

"Does it matter?" Hermione snapped suddenly.

Harry said nothing, but just stared back at his friend.

"Now…" Hermione said more calmly, "I can't help but think that the reason Ginny was so upset earlier was because you don't look at all like Harry Potter." Harry cocked his head to the side in confusion. "You've… You've changed a lot in the past two years, Harry. You've got a slight beard, haven't you noticed that?" In fact, he hadn't. "And your hair is ridiculously long," Harry hadn't noticed that either, "And you're so… thin."

Hermione had a pitying look on her face as she said the last word, like she'd never met a thin person before.

"Have you looked in the mirror lately?" He couldn't bite his tongue in time to stop himself saying.

Hermione merely sighed and carried on talking, "Go and clean yourself up. Get rid of that hideous thing on your chin, cut your hair and have a shower. Put some clean clothes on."

Harry couldn't help the slightest smile form on his lips.

"What?" Hermione asked irritably.

Harry shook his head slowly, "I've missed you."

The stern look on Hermione's face dropped off so quickly it was like she had removed a mask. However, she did not hug him, she just smiled slightly as well and said, "Go and have a shower."

Harry wanted to hug her so badly, and felt very let down as he walked out of the room and up the stairs. And when he was in the shower something else hit him, this was his fault as well. Hermione, looking depressed, Ginny _being_ depressed, Liam having to stay with people that were hardly even related to him, everything was Harry's fault.

* * *

"You can come in with me this time," Hermione told him as they waited outside the door of Ginny's private room.

If it was possible, Harry felt even more nervous than he did earlier that day. Now that he 'looked like himself again', as Hermione put it, he was afraid to find out what would happen when he walked into that room. He was terrified that Ginny would deny him again, perhaps thinking that someone had drunk Polyjuice Potion to make themselves look like Harry Potter and trick her.

"Are you ready?" Hermione looked at him and took his hand. The touch of his best friends skin on his made him feel something that he couldn't quite define, but was definitely different.

She put her other hand on the door handle to open it.

"Hermione," Harry said before she did. Hoping to give her a hug, or something that showed how much he cared, he yanked her back.

"What?" She said, almost nervously.

Harry paused for a moment, and then saw the look in her eyes. She didn't care about the two of them right now; she only cared about Harry and Ginny.

"Never mind," He said quietly.

And Hermione turned back round and opened the door.

Ginny was standing at the window, looking up at the sky. Harry hadn't realised that morning how thin Ginny was as well as Hermione.

Before the door had closed behind her, Hermione whispered, "It's a bad day today. She always stands at the window when she's having a bad day."

Harry felt a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He would have preferred not to know that.

At the sound of the door clicking shut, Ginny turned around, and Harry saw her face shine with tears. Hermione quickly let go of his hand and walked towards her.

But Ginny wasn't watching Hermione at all; her eyes were fixed on Harry, still at the doorway.

"Ginny, look at me," Hermione said, and Ginny pulled – with what looked like a great amount of effort – her eyes off Harry and onto Hermione. "Remember I came here this morning, saying Harry was here? Well he's here Ginny, this is Harry."

Hermione signalled towards him, and he didn't know what to do other than just to stand there and wait.

Ginny's eyes narrowed and she looked from him to her bedside table, where Harry noticed a picture of himself and Ron throwing snowballs at each other in Hogwarts. At the thought of Ron he felt a stabbing sensation at his heart, but pushed it away – Ginny was more important now.

Slowly, she walked towards him. When she finally reached him she stopped only inches away from touching him. Harry fought to keep his breath steady as she spoke.

"You're so thin," She stated. Her voice was gentler than it was earlier, and again, it made Harry's heart beat faster. "I'm sorry about earlier, I knew it was you."

"Are…" Harry swallowed with difficulty, "Are you mad at me?"

"I'm furious," Ginny answered.

They stood in silence for what seemed like the longest time. Harry looked over at Hermione a few times, who lurked a few metres behind Ginny, should she try to attack Harry. And he couldn't help but feel like a hand was going to fly towards his face any moment.

"I've missed you, so much," Ginny said, letting tears fall down her face.

"I'm sorry," Harry said.

"I hate you," She whispered.

Harry's heart faltered for a moment, but then carried on beating; although it felt slower. Those words meant the end of him. He wouldn't live if those words were true. He felt his heart beat in his throat, and when he swallowed, it was huge clumps of tears, but he couldn't stop a few of them escaping down his face.

Ginny shook her head and cried even harder.

Then the most unexpected thing happened. She flung her arms around him in a desperate hug. Her grip grew tighter and tighter around his waist, but if wasn't tight enough to stop him breathing; Ginny was too weak for that.

"Harry!" She cried.

Harry gaped down at his wife's ginger hair and then back up at Hermione. She made quick hugging movements with her arms and Harry followed suit, wrapping her arms around Ginny, enclosing her from the world that had been so horrible to her.

He felt electricity fly through every inch of his body as Ginny's hug not only got tighter, but warmer too.

"I've been so scared, Harry," Ginny cried into his chest. "I thought you'd never come back."

"Well I am, I'm here, I won't leave you again," Harry promised.

"That's what you said last time," Ginny replied. And Harry was sure he'd heard a cough of a laugh come with the sentence.

He smiled and said, "I swear, Ginny, I'll never leave your side again. We'll get through everything together and it will all be perfect, I promise. I'm never leaving you again, ever."

Ginny stopped hugging him and looked up at him with the faintest trace of a smile on her face. "Merlin knows why, but I trust you," She said quietly, taking his hand.

Harry breathed in sharply and squeezed her hand affectionately.

He looked up at Hermione, who was trying (and failing) to hide her tears.

Harry mouthed the words 'thank you' at her and she smiled, nodded and walked out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her, leaving Harry and Ginny to look into each others faces as if they'd only just met, and it was love at first sight.

* * *

**A/N** Lol, I'm so sorry for the soppy last sentence, but I couldn't help it! Everyone likes a bit of fluff don't they?! Anyways thanks for reading, next chapter will be up soon! 


	10. Lost Years

**A/N** Oh my gosh…. I'm so sorry it took me so long to update!! My computer turned itself off one night and wouldn't come back on and I found out that the power supply in the computer had died. Then I had to wait A WEEK for it to be fixed. Trust me, I was not a happy person. I'm so sorry I've kept you all waiting, its been agony not writing but I'm back now and when I get back into it I know I'll write the next few chapters really quickly!! Anyway, please forgive me and thanks to reviewers:

**Coudle: **Oh good I'm glad you liked it; I hadn't planned the fluff part, just kinda happened! And when I write like that (spontaneously) I can't delete it hehe! Here's the next chapter for you!

**Kingmunkey: **Hey, again I'm sorry about the long update… I hope you still have time to read! I hate schoolwork when it prevents me from writing and reading, that's why I'm trying to write so much now! Thanks!

**Kelmo: **Thanks, glad to have you reading it!

**GoldxxSunlight: **Thank you! Glad you love it hehe!

Lost Years

The door shut behind Hermione, and Harry suddenly seemed to feel a lot more nervous. Ginny was looking lovingly into his eyes, exploring his face as if she'd only just met him, but Harry couldn't stop shaking.

Ginny held his hand as she walked back towards her bed and sat on it. Harry sat on the chair that was next to it and stared tentatively at her back as she pulled a sheet over her legs.

When Ginny turned back round to face him, Harry was surprised to see that the loving expression had gone, and now she looked very concerned.

"Where have you been, Harry?" She asked calmly.

Harry stared for a moment, not registering the question, but then blinked and swallowed (with difficulty) and started to answer her. "You… You know where I've been," He said slowly.

"Yes I do, but you said you wouldn't be away for that long," Ginny moaned and began to cry. Harry had realised - in the short period of time that he had been with her - that the depression seemed to make her cry a lot more. She never used to cry at anything. Today however, she was crying all the time.

"Well, Ginny, I didn't know back then how clever Malfoy had become. I thought he was just… Malfoy…" Harry said truthfully; for he could never have guessed that in six years Malfoy would have become so powerful.

"But he's gone now isn't he? Dead?" Ginny asked quickly, having stopped crying already.

"Yeah… He's dead," Harry answered – again truthfully. It had been a long time coming, but Draco Malfoy _was_ dead.

Ginny's face relaxed into a smile and she said nothing, just staring up to the ceiling with what looked like a huge amount of interest. Harry wasn't sure what to say to her for fear of making her upset again, so he too just stared, but not at the ceiling.

"What did you have to do this time then?" Ginny asked in a dreamy voice, rather reminding Harry of Luna Lovegood whom he had gone to Hogwarts with.

"To kill him?" Harry asked.

Ginny nodded, much to Harry's disappointment. He didn't really want to talk about the past two years; they had been like a nightmare.

"Well," Harry started, "All I had to do was kill him. But he was so… I don't know… Quick, I suppose; at everything he did. He was too quick for me after six years of hardly doing anything. It's hard to explain. But he just dodged everything I threw at him, and it was some pretty old magic that I was using; I wouldn't have thought Malfoy would have known about it."

Harry stopped and sighed deeply before Ginny cut in, "I will get better you know," very matter-of-factly.

"What?" The abrupt change of topic threw Harry's train of mind.

"I'll get over this… whatever it is I've got. They won't tell me," Ginny looked sadly at the piece of blanket she was fiddling with, and then looked up again very quickly, with a huge smile on her face. "Do you know what it is?!"

"No…" Harry shook his head and answered quietly. He felt terrible to see the saddened look on Ginny's face, but he thought that if the Healers and Hermione weren't telling her what was wrong, there must have been a reason not to. Perhaps if she knew she'd got depression, it would make it even worse. "Can you…" Harry wanted to ask about Ginny's story so much, but he was afraid it would make her shout or cry. But then she looked up at him, with that adoring face she had used before, and Harry needed to know everything. "Can you remember when you came in here?"

Silence.

Harry thought that he had taken things too far until Ginny's expression changed. That dreamy look she had had in her eyes the whole time Harry had been there vanished, and she finally looked almost like her old self. She was deep in thought – difficult thought from what Harry could see – and then she looked back up at him and whispered, "I don't know when it was… I've lost count of the weeks. But I remember being in here for about two weeks and then they let me go. And then…" Tears began to shine in her eyes, "And then Hermione forced me back here a month after I'd got out. I remember she took my hand one day and said 'Ginny, you're ill, you need help'." Ginny paused for a moment and bit her lip, fighting back the tears. Harry so wanted to reach out his hand and hold hers, but he thought that if he did that he wouldn't hear the rest. "I didn't react very well to that. I pulled out my wand and shot every curse I could think of at her. She was ready for me though; she had already put a shield charm around herself. And the curses rebounded off of the shield and flew towards me… I can't remember anything after that apart from being in here again."

Harry watched painfully as tears fell from her eyes. He wanted to stop her suffering, but needed to know more. "Ginny, why do you think Hermione asked you to come back here?"

She shrugged and answered, "I guess things were difficult at home. But surely they would have been more difficult after I left."

"Maybe… Maybe things were difficult because you were there?" Harry suggested.

Ginny stared at him for a moment, and then nodded, "I've been telling myself that isn't true, but I think I've always known it was."

There was a long pause as Harry considered his next move. Then, slowly, he took a deep breath and asked "Ginny, what happened before you came in here the first time?"

Ginny looked up quickly, with a sharp look in her eyes. Then her eyes narrowed, as if she was examining him, or reading him. "You already know, don't you?" She said quietly.

Harry gulped loudly, "I think so…"

"Malfoy raped me, Harry."

Hearing the words coming from his wife's own mouth seemed to confirm it for Harry; it also made him feel so much worse about it. And he was astonished that she didn't break down in tears as she said it. Surely that was a good sign? It meant she was getting over it?

"But… But what happened after that?" Harry asked.

This time, Ginny flinched a bit before saying, "I think… I think I was in denial… And I washed myself dozens of times a day – I just felt so contaminated. Then Hermione brought me here for two weeks. After that I felt cleaner, ready to face the world and forget about Malfoy. I wanted to concentrate on my family again." Ginny smiled slightly, but then it wavered, and Harry could tell something bad was coming.

Ginny took a deep breath and carried on, "Hermione bring them in here sometimes you know. The boys and Harriet. But, it's just… Hard…"

"Harriet?" Harry repeated suddenly. He knew that name from somewhere. Then it came to him in a lightning strike. It was that little girl that Hermione was holding in the earlier hours of this morning, when Harry first arrived.

"Yes…" Ginny said, sounding a little unsure now, "You have met her, haven't you?"

"Well, I saw her this morning, but, I don't know who she is…" Harry answered. And then a terrible thought rushed over him; what if this Harriet was Malfoy's daughter… a product of raping Ginny? Maybe that was why Ginny was depressed – not just because of the rape itself, but the consequences of it… and then she'd been in here for a year because she couldn't face seeing Harriet?

"You, don't, know?" Ginny separated her words as if she was very confused.

"No," Harry answered quietly.

"Well," She said, her tone of voice suddenly changing to businesslike and sharp, "You need to ask Hermione."

"Why can't you tell me?" Harry asked quickly.

"Because I don't want to talk about it," Ginny answered shortly.

"It?"

"Harry, lets stop talking about it, talk about each other!" Ginny nodded in agreement to her own suggestion.

"No, who is Harriet?" Harry persisted.

"Shut up!"

"No!"

"Hermione!" Ginny called. Harry rolled his eyes in exasperation. "HERMIONE!"

"Don't start that again, Ginny!" Harry shouted back at her.

"Hermione!"

The door flew open and almost rebounded into Hermione face as she sped into the room. She pushed Harry aside and walked straight up to Ginny, who was crying and punching the bed.

Harry watched the two of them. Hermione calmed Ginny down so quickly it was like she'd been doing it every day for the past year. Well, she must have been, mustn't she? To think that he had left Hermione alone with so much to take care of, that his wife had gone insane while he was away; it was unbearable.

"Harry, you'd better go," Hermione turned and told him after Ginny had whispered countless remarks to her.

Harry did not argue, he just turned and walked out of the room.

He walked down the corridor of the hospital, without wearing his invisibility cloak, and listened as the rooms around him when silent and motionless, watching him. He really had other things to worry about however, as they all stared, gawping at him like they'd never seen him before. Twice in his life he had gone away, seeking revenge on two people he hated more than anything else in the world – even more than his inherited messy hair – to come back and find that he'd ruined whatever happiness he had left. Last time of course, he was lucky, Ginny had forgiven him for the traitorous murders he had committed, but could she ever forgive him for leaving her to get raped and impregnated by a person whom they both despised? And he hadn't even seen Liam yet. Had his son also turned to hate him in the past two years?

Before he knew it, Harry was sitting on soft, warm grass, on a field close to St. Mungo's. It was better here, as most people passing by were muggles, and had never seen Harry before in their lives. However, some visitors from the hospital had 'slyly' followed him to the field and were muttering among themselves mere metres away from him.

He had been sitting there for little over half an hour when Hermione found him and sat next to him in silence. Harry didn't need to ask how she'd found him; he guessed there were dozens of people in the hospital saying that Harry Potter was outside on the field.

After a few minutes of silent thought on both of their parts, Hermione started to talk.

"You need to keep calm when you're with her, Harry. Getting angry just makes her upset," She explained.

At this, Harry fumed up at once, "Oh, so you think it's easy for me to come home after two years and find out that my wife is mental?"

"She's not mental, Harry! That's a horrid thing to say!" Hermione moaned.

"What would you have me call her then? Crazy? Insane?" Harry asked sarcastically.

"She's _upset_," Hermione remarked stonily.

"Depressed!"

"Do you want to know who Harriet is or not?" Hermione yelled so that the people closest to them stopped talking and watched.

Harry eyed her steadily. For some reason his pulse rate had seemed to get a lot quicker when she said that. Did he really want to know who Harriet was? What if it confirmed his suspicions?

Slowly, Harry nodded.

Hermione tried a tiny smile and held his hand, her fingers were frozen. "She's your daughter, Harry."

Did his pulse stop now? It felt as though it had.

"What?" Harry whispered.

"Harriet is your daughter," Hermione repeated, her smile growing warmer, "Haven't you thought about her name? Doesn't it sound like something?"

However, Harry had noticed the link in their names early on this morning, but he had come to the conclusion that if they thought Harry was dead, almost anyone would call a baby girl Harriet to remind them of him. Wouldn't they?

"Ginny thought you were never coming back by the time Harriet was born," Hermione explained, "So she named her after you, so that there was a stronger link between you."

Harry sat for a moment, completely gob-smacked. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. He was sure Harriet was a product of rape. She had such pale skin, just like Malfoy's… But then, it was only now that Harry remembered those strikingly green eyes he had seen that morning, and the black hair, with a tinge of red, that was on her head.

Harry turned quickly to look at Hermione, and he smiled.

"You believe me?" She asked quietly.

"She was born nine months after I left wasn't she?" Harry stated more than asked, remembering the passionate evening he had spent with Ginny.

"Well, eight," Hermione answered, "She was premature."

"I can't believe it," Harry said, shaking his head, "All this time… Why didn't you write to me and tell me?"

"Harry, we honestly thought you were dead," She confessed, "Almost eight months without a word from you; what would you have thought?"

"Hedwig was killed! I couldn't help it!" Harry shouted, albeit quietly. "You could have sent an owl anyway, if it couldn't find me then yes, I was dead! But if it had found me I would have written straight back, maybe even come home!"

"Sorry," Hermione said shamefully.

Harry huffed loudly and tried to put that part of the conversation behind them.

"So," He started, "Why didn't you tell me when you saw me this morning?"

"Oh come on, Harry! It was too much to take in! You were lying there on the floor of my house and…"

"My house!" Harry interrupted her.

"Sorry," She said again, "But I've lived there for so long on my own now, it may as well be my house.

"Anyway, you had your wand pointing at me and I wasn't even sure if it was you, can you really blame me?" Hermione finished.

Harry sighed and admitted defeat on that matter with a nod of the head. "But why wouldn't Ginny tell me about Harriet when I asked her earlier?"

Suddenly, Hermione's face dropped and she let out a sigh.

"That…" She began, "That's the reason Ginny is in St. Mungo's Harry."

"I don't understand…"

"Ok, well, Ginny gave birth to Harriet and we were reasonably happy – it's just, you weren't there. She was so in love with her, she'd spend hours just looking at her, probably because she reminded Ginny so much of you. Honestly, she couldn't get enough of her. But then, about a year after you left, Malfoy came… Obviously, he raped Ginny and she became obsessive compulsive with hygiene, so I took her to St. Mungo's. They found out she was pregnant and told her so. I think that was the worst part. But they got rid of the baby and Ginny got better a week later after being with a Healer every day. But… she came home and, she was so different… She hardly looked at Harriet at all – she couldn't really stand the sight of her. Harry, she thinks Harriet is Malfoy's daughter, not yours. That's why she's in St. Mungo's." Harry stomach churned and he suddenly felt very weak, but he kept his full attention on Hermione as she carried on speaking. "The Healers and I have tried to convince her that Harriet is yours hundreds of times, but she won't have it. We've put pictures of you as a baby and Harriet next to each other, we've pointed out the same green eyes, the hair…" Hermione finished and shook her head as a few tears fell down her cheeks.

Harry sat and held her hand for a long while, lost in thought. Why couldn't Ginny understand any of it? Harriet was clearly Harry's daughter, and not even a monkey would be persuaded otherwise! His thoughts landed on Malfoy after a very short period of time, and how he must be laughing wherever he had gone after death. Harry wished he had spent a lot more time with the Cruciatus curse before finishing Malfoy off completely a week ago.

Harry jumped as Hermione started to talk again beside him.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Harriet earlier Harry," She sniffed, "I just hoped that Ginny would tell you, because that would have meant she believed it herself."

She started to cry again as he watched her. His best friend in the world. She had been through so much in the past two years, perhaps even more than Ginny? Hermione had had to look after three children with no support. Well, there was always Ginny's parents, and her own, but they were getting older, they didn't need children running all over the place would they… He knew that was how Hermione would have seen it. And what on earth had happened to James in the past years? His father had died, and his mother had moved onto looking after younger children. Harry remembered seeing James that morning. He was older now, almost a teen, and he looked hard worn and tough. He looked like a teen that would hate his parents for no reason at all…

"Hermione," Harry whispered after a long while. She wiped her tears and looked up at him, "I love you."

She gazed at him for a moment, narrowing her eyes as she did so. "I love you too," She said quietly back to him.

Harry smiled. He knew that Hermione understood him. He didn't love her like he loved Ginny, it was no where close. But he needed her to know that he loved her in a way that he couldn't really define. It wasn't sisterly love, and it wasn't romantic; it was just there. And now that Hermione knew it, Harry felt a lot better.

* * *

**A/N** Eek… Like I said, I'm sorry for the AMAZINGLY long update… But it's here now. And it's a very long chapter, don't quite know how it got that long lol! But hope you enjoyed it! 


	11. Dreams and Reality

**A/N** Hello! Hope I haven't been too slow on updating this time!! Thanks to reviewers:

**Kingmunkey: **Thanks for saying you love my work, and I'm happy I can create 'clues' like the whole Harriet thing without you realizing too early hehe!

**Elizabeth: **Ah thank you. I've always liked a bit of emotion hehe!

**Coudle: **Thanks, I try and show emotion and facial expressions because I've always thought they speak louder than words!

Dreams and Reality

"_Harry, wake up…" Ginny's voice whispered in his ear. "Come on, it's time to wake up!"_

_Harry moaned and opened his eyes to look at Ginny. Her naked, silk-like skin faced him as she smiled. Her soft hand stroked his cheek and then moved down to his hand. She held it, and moved it so he was holding her flat stomach. _

"_I know it's happened," She whispered, "I can tell, just like last time."_

_Harry's mouth slid to a smile and he, too, reached out his other hand to touch his wife's face._

_The bedroom door flew open, and a ray of unnatural yellow light entered the room from both the doorway and the window. Now that he thought about it, Harry realised that the room had been a strange colour since he woke up. _

"_Daddy," The six year old Liam said as he bounded into the room, "Let's call the baby Mummy, after mum!"_

_Harry cocked his head and smiled. He thought it very strange that his son should know that Ginny was pregnant, when they had only had sex that night._

"_Liam, that's not a name," Ginny giggled, brushing her sons' hair with her fingers, "Anyway, I want to name it after Harry."_

"_Listen! The dog's barking!" Liam said loudly and ran out of the room. _

_Harry listened carefully, and there was indeed a dog barking happily in the background._

"_Oh Harry, we're going to be such a happy family," Ginny smiled as the light in the room grew ever brighter._

_The two of them smiled together and began to kiss. Such a kiss was indescribable, Harry treasured every moment as he massaged Ginny's back and began to lay her back down to pleasure her again…_

A crash of thunder, and Harry woke in his bed, quite alone.

He looked over to the bay window, at which he and Ginny had spent numerous hours many years ago making love. It was then, with a shake of his light head, that Harry realised he had been dreaming.

He looked around the room now, and found it dark and dreary – neglected. He didn't want to think of the reason why.

Slowly, Harry turned in his bed and looked at the clock on the bedside table; quarter-past eight. He yawned as another flash of lightening and rumble of thunder entered he room. He scowled at the weather for ruining his dream as he left the bedroom and walked downstairs.

Hermione was obviously not yet awake, as there was no sign of life in the kitchen or living room. Harry expected that it was nice for her to be able to sleep in when the three children weren't there. They had left picking up Liam, Harriet and James until this morning, as Hermione evidently needed a lot of rest.

It was this that made Harry decide to do something for her. He quickly washed, got dressed and started to clean and tidy the house.

Almost two hours later, Hermione surfaced and walked into the kitchen with a look of utter surprise on her face, and Harry guessed it was more than just the full English breakfast on the table that had shocked her.

"What have you been up to?" She asked affectionately as she sat on a chair.

Harry sat down opposite her and began to eat.

"Just cleaning," He answered.

"You didn't have to," Hermione said.

"Hermione," Harry began sternly, "Don't try to fight me on this one. But I think you've done your fair share for me in the past two years; it was time for me to do something for you."

Hermione smiled and changed the subject, "Did you have a good sleep then?"

Harry's smile faltered as he remembered his perfect dream.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"Nothing. What time are we picking everyone up then?" He asked.

Hermione raised an eyebrow but answered Harry's question anyway, "Oh, when I'm dressed. But I think you should stay here otherwise we'll never leave the Burrow before tomorrow!"

Harry's smile returned and he nodded, thinking that Mrs Weasley definitely wouldn't let him leave without fussing over him a lot first. Harry was, after all, almost the closest link to Ron outside their blood family.

"But I'll tell them you're here, ok? I think that's the best of both worlds," Hermione suggested.

"Yeah, ok. But don't let them come back with you."

Hermione laughed and shook her head and she put down her knife and fork to leave.

As she exited, Harry suddenly felt that sick nervousness he felt yesterday before going in to see Ginny. In an hour or so, he was going to meet his daughter. His daughter…

* * *

"Harry, I'm back!"

Hermione's shout form the hall knocked Harry out of a nap on the sofa. He blinked and saw the door open.

"Sorry I took so long!" She exclaimed, "Molly wouldn't let me leave without telling her everything that happened yesterday, and then she tried to come with me!"

But Harry didn't care very much about what Hermione had to say, he was staring at the little girl she held in his arms.

"Oh," She said when she noticed, "Right, well… Liam's just gone upstairs, I haven't told him you're back, but…" Hermione went and sat by him, then looked at Harriet. "Harriet, do you remember me telling you that your daddy would be back soon?" Harriet made a half comprehending face, "Well, sweetheart, this is your daddy…"

Harry held out his arms as Hermione gave Harriet to him.

"She's so small…" Harry whispered as he hugged her.

"Not that small," Hermione replied, "She is over one year old."

Harry shook his head, unable to speak – he couldn't think of anything to say. But suddenly, he spoke to his daughter. He knew that she wouldn't understand, but he had to say it anyway.

"I'm so sorry, Harriet… I'll never leave you again, ever. Oh, I'm sorry…"

"Harry, its ok…" Hermione said softly.

"She's so small…" Harry said again, "How could I just abandon her?"

"You didn't even know about her, it's not your fault!" Hermione comforted.

"He knew about Liam though!"

Harry's head jerked towards the door, where James now stood with a face like the current weather outside.

"James!" Hermione said sternly.

But James ignored her, "Do you know how hard my mum has worked?"

"James, stop playing the attention act, go upstairs!" Hermione yelled.

James ran off out of the room and Hermione shook her head as she sat back down. "Sorry about him, Harry. He always does things like that to get more attention."

Harry thought for a moment, watching Harriet all the while. It was the same kind of thought as yesterday on the field – only it had been confirmed.

"Hermione, go and spend some time with him," Harry said.

"What?"

"That's the reason James keeps being like that. He only misses you. You're his mum and you just suddenly left him to look after two different kids. He probably feels neglected," Harry finished.

"Oh! And Liam doesn't?" Hermione shouted, making Harry jump. He hadn't expected a fight. "You just randomly leave one night and he doesn't hear from you for two years! You think he didn't feel neglected! At least I was still here for James!"

"Hermione that's not what I meant! Well, it is, I guess, but what I mean is at least I went away, Liam knows I didn't just start ignoring his cries for help. You did that with James, because you're right, you're still here."

Hermione went silent and looked at her feet. Harry averted his attention back to Harriet, knowing that he had gotten through to Hermione.

After a short while, Hermione spoke, "Shall I get Liam for you?"

Harry took this to mean, 'you're right, I'll go and see James now, I just need an excuse to go upstairs'. He smiled and nodded his head.

Minutes later, Liam walked into the room and stared at Harry, and then to Harriet.

"Give her to me," Liam said, walking round to face Harry.

It took a moment for Harry to recognise his sons voice, and realise how much older he'd gotten, even if he was only eight. His hair had grown longer, and even messier if it were possible. He had also gotten a little taller, but not much. Then Harry registered what Liam had said.

"Liam, I know you haven't seen me for a while, but…"

"Please, I want to hold her," Liam cut in. Harry studied his face. It almost begged.

"What's wrong Liam?" Harry asked softly.

"Aunty Hermione stopped letting me hold her when mum left… She said I might hurt her," Liam answered quickly.

"What?" Harry couldn't understand why Hermione would do something like that. But when he thought about it, he put it down to the reason that Hermione couldn't bare to see anyone else get hurt, so perhaps she was overprotective. Especially of a small baby.

"I knew you'd let me hold her again though," Liam said desperately, "She's my little sister! I wouldn't hurt her!"

Harry quickly sat Harriet on the sofa and hushed Liam. He hugged him and made soft noises that always used to calm him down. "I know you wouldn't Liam, I know…"

Liam was crying now, "I've missed you daddy!"

"I know, I've missed you too," Harry said, "I promise I won't abandon you again. Everything's going to be k now, Liam, I promise."

Liam sniffed, "Is mummy coming back too?"

Harry had to breathe in before saying, "Soon, Liam, she'll be back soon."

And it was like reassuring Liam was reassuring himself as well. Ginny _would_ get better, and she _would_ be home soon.

* * *

Harry could hear Hermione talking from the corridor outside Ginny's room.

"He only wants to help, Ginny," She said loudly, "And I know you love him!"

"Is mum having a bad day, dad?" Liam asked, looking up to Harry with a sad expression.

Harry gulped and answered, "I don't know, Liam. But it will be ok."

Suddenly, the door to Ginny's room opened and there again stood Hermione.

"Come in," She said quietly.

Harry pushed Harriet's buggy through the door with one hand and pulled Liam along with the other. Ginny was standing by the window looking out, and from what Harry could see of her face, she was crying again.

"Hi, Gin," He said softly.

"I told you not to call me that," She said angrily. "And I'm not even going to look at _her_ if that's what you want. So you're wasting your time."

"No," Harry said slowly, "We thought you'd want to see Liam."

Liam, who stood right next to Harriet's buggy, did not move. It was part of a plan that Harry had thought of earlier. Hermione had told him that Ginny didn't even look at Harriet when she was in the room, so Harry had thought that the only way to make her realise that Harriet was Harry's daughter was so be cruel, and make her look.

"Bring him to me then!" Ginny snapped after a minute of nothing happening.

"You'll have to come over here if you want to see him," Harry said nastily.

At once, Ginny turned and started towards Liam. But upon seeing the pram next to her son, she shrieked and turned back.

"Get her away!" She shouted.

"No," Harry said stonily, "If you want to see Liam you have to see your other child too!"

"Why are you even sticking up for her, she's not your child!" Ginny shouted even louder.

"Harry, maybe this isn't a good…"

But Harry cut Hermione off, he was determined this would work. "She is my child Ginny! I can't believe you can't see it! She looks more like me than Liam does!"

"Hermione! You said he wanted to help!"

"Don't run to Hermione! She won't help you this time! She's on my side."

Ginny turned to look at him. Her chest was rising and falling so heavily it was like she couldn't breathe. Then, quite suddenly, from the silence, she screamed at him and ran towards him.

"I hate you!" She screamed, "I hate you!"

Ginny ran forwards and began to punch him. She punched, slapped, and kicked any part of his body that she could reach. And Harry stood, taking it all. But the strange thing about this tantrum was that this, aside all other tantrums Ginny had ever had with him, this hurt the most. And that was physically hurt, not mentally. He knew that deep down Ginny still loved him, she'd never hate him. But all this being cooped up in here seemed to make her preserve her energy, and she put every last drop into each hit at him. And it really was hurting him.

Hermione was at their side, trying to pry Ginny away from him, but she was even getting hit with her feeble attempts to save Harry.

But then, Ginny stopped hitting him very abruptly, and looked down at Liam.

Harry had heard his son shout as well, but it was only when he saw Ginny clutch her leg in pain that he realised Liam had kicked her.

"Dad's trying to help!" Liam shouted at her, "Please listen to him."

Harry felt a stab of pride race through him for his son, while Ginny looked on in amazement.

"Liam…" She whispered, touching his wet face.

"Please, mummy," Liam said again, with the same desperation in his voice that had appeared when he asked to hold his sister.

Ginny looked from him, then to Harry, and back again. She then rolled her eyes, and said stonily, "What, then?"

Harry had no idea what to do. None of this was supposed to happen. Ginny wasn't supposed to kick and scream at him at all. He looked quickly from Ginny, to Harriet, and then to a picture of himself on the table by Ginny's bed.

Harry leaned over the pram and picked Harriet up, so that her face was next to his… And waited.

* * *

**A/N** Oohh good old cliffy for you there hehe!! Thought you might like it! I hope the end was ok; it was sort of difficult to write. But anyways, there you go hehe. Thanks for reading! 


	12. Reliving

**A/N** Thanks to my reviewer from the last chapter:

**Coudle: **Hope this chapter lives up to your expectations lol!

Re-living

Ginny's eyes were wide and unmoving. She stared into Harry's eyes for so long that they started to water… Until, finally, she blinked, and two tears rolled down either cheek.

Harry's mouth spread into a wide smile until Ginny spoke, "I don't understand…"

Harry paused. "What do you mean?" He asked quietly.

"You're eyes… They're the same…" Ginny whispered, indicating Harriet's eyes and his.

Harry seemed to crumple inside. This was impossible, how did she still not believe that Harriet was _his_ daughter? He had been sure that putting Harriet next to him, rather than just a photo of himself, would work. But Ginny was still standing there, and looking at him as if he was the one who had gone mad!

He breathed in deeply before saying, "That's because she's my daughter, she's got my eyes… Just like I've got my mum's eyes…"

Ginny merely shook her head in pity and wiped away the two tear lines on her cheeks, "You need help, Harry. That girl is the spawn of… of… well, you know who! You're kidding yourself! I don' know how she managed to get green eyes, but it's a coincidence! Get her out of here."

Harry couldn't stay calm any longer, he almost dropped Harriet back into the pram before striding up to Ginny and whispering in her ear, "Why can't you remember?"

"Remember what?" She replied tetchily.

Harry breathed heavily and turned away from her, looking at Hermione, James and Liam. He really didn't want them to hear him say it, but Hermione evidently didn't understand the signalling look he gave her to tell her to leave the room and take the boys with her.

He turned back to Ginny, who raised an eyebrow as if waiting for an answer.

"The night before I left, Gin," He whispered so quietly he could hardly hear himself, "Why can't you remember that?"

Ginny's face turned puzzled as she said, "I can remember it; we had an argument, and then you left."

"You don't remember anything after the argument?" Harry asked.

"Well, yes, you left," She answered matter-of-factly.

Harry's temper cracked. He spun around and marched towards Liam and Harriet.

"We're leaving now," He ordered as he pushed the pram through the door without looking back.

"Harry! Wait!" Ginny's voice made him stop dead in his tracks, perhaps she had remembered? "Get Hermione to take _her_ back, it'll be nice to see you and Liam for a while longer."

He looked at her and shook his head slowly. The pleasant smile of her face faded, but Harry left, pulling Liam along behind him before Ginny could say another word.

* * *

"All I'm saying is it's not her fault she can't remember!"

Harry rubbed his scar with exasperation only an hour and a half after he had left St. Mungo's that afternoon. He had had the worst day today, and to make it worse, Hermione came home and started to shout at him! As if it was all his fault!

"It is her fault, Hermione!" Harry shouted back at her, "She's blocked that night out because she doesn't want to remember it!"

Hermione stared at him, and then went to sit next to him on the sofa, "Harry," She said, a lot calmer than she had spoken before, "She loves you. Why would she not want to remember that night?"

"Well that's obvious!" Harry replied. But when Hermione sent a confused face in his direction, he explained… with difficulty. "That night was… It was the first night we'd had sex since… Since that thing happened. And she probably hates to think about it because it was the first time in so long, and then I left for two years. Don't you think that's a horrible way to remember the best night you've ever had?"

Hermione was a bit pink in the face when he stopped talking; the memory of kissing Harry obviously embarrassed her. Or perhaps it was the fact that she had just learnt that kissing him all those years ago had caused him such difficulties with Ginny since.

"Well… That doesn't matter now, anyway," Hermione said unsteadily, "What you need to do now is make her remember, Harry."

Harry let out a cross between a cough and a laugh. "And how do you expect me to make her remember? There's no magic that can make people remember things they refuse to think about."

"I didn't mean by using magic…" Hermione said, raising her eyebrows.

Harry had no idea what she meant now.

"Oh, Harry!" She exclaimed. "What I mean is, _show_ her, to make her remember."

Harry's heart seemed to skip a beat as he realised what Hermione meant. His expression must have shown that as well, as Hermione nodded and smiled mischievously as she said, "Yes, you need to show her what happened that night. And then she can't deny it."

Harry bit his lip in thought, and then said, "But what if she refuses to believe what she's seeing. She might say I bewitched something to show a different woman as her."

"I don't think she would," Hermione replied, shaking her head, "Like you said; she's just making herself forget what happened between the two of you that night, when she see's it, she won't be able to deny it to herself any longer."

Harry nodded slowly, but then his head quickened as he decided that this was what he should do. And it would work. It had to.

He stood up and ran up the stairs to get his broom, before almost leaving the house without saying goodbye to Hermione.

"What do you need that for?" She asked, signalling to the broom in his hand.

"I feel like flying," He replied, "It makes me more determined."

And with that, Harry left the house and flew off not in the direction of St. Mungo's, but towards Hogwarts. Because certainly, if he wanted to show Ginny a memory, he would need to borrow a Pensive.

* * *

"Potter! I do hope Miss Weasley, well, Mrs Potter, gets well soon. Do send her my love."

Harry smiled at Professor McGonagall as he finally left the headmistresses office over two hours later. At first, he had been surprised to see her sitting in Dumbledore's chair, but then he realised that she can't have been as old as Dumbledore himself was when he was still headmaster. So, after all the shock of seeing his old head of house after so many years, Harry had proceeded in asking for Dumbledore's Pensive, which she had been left in his will.

At first, McGonagall was quite adamant that he could not borrow it under any circumstance. So Harry explained that Ginny was extremely ill and needed to remember something about the past to get better. McGonagall softened up a bit, saying that he may only use it if she could go into the memory with him. At this, Harry had certainly put his foot down as a firm 'no'. There was no way he wanted his old teacher to see him and his wife having passionate sex. In the end, he ended up telling her everything that had happened in the past two years, and being consoled by her as he cried into a handkerchief that she had given him. So finally, McGonagall had given in, and passed the Pensive steadily over the desk to him and dismissing him.

So now, Harry was on a desperate mission to get to St. Mungo's to see Ginny, and sort everything out. However, as he walked through the corridors of his old school, he found it quite difficult to keep walking, rather than stop at every classroom door to see if his old teachers were still there.

It seemed that Professor Flitwick had retired, and been replaced by none other than Luna Lovegood. Harry restrained a laugh as he thought that he would love to have such a dreamy person for a teacher; though not quite as dreamy and strange as Professor Trelawney.

Harry also saw the Defence Against the Dark Arts class being taken by Neville Longbottom, but he already knew that. He looked at the children being taught by Neville, and they looked particularly inspired. They all looked about James' age; awed by anything even slightly amazing. This thought made Harry wonder how long James had been home from school because of his sick aunt. Another reason for Ginny to get well quickly.

Before he knew it, Harry was at the Womping Willow tree that led to the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmede. He hated to go back into that building, but it was the easiest way to get in and out of Hogwarts with no trouble. So quickly, Harry strode through the passageway and flew off to St. Mungo's.

* * *

Harry sat and stared at Ginny sleeping in her bed. He had been there for about forty-five minutes. The room was completely dark apart from the strange glow of the Pensive in the corner by the window.

Finally, after another five minutes of Harry sitting and waiting, Ginny stirred.

She moaned and moved around in her bed, before opening her eyes and then moaning some more. She rubbed them, and stood out of the bed facing the Pensive.

Slowly, Ginny walked towards it, gazing at it as if it was a beautiful creature for her to pet.

Her hand edged towards the silvery substance that was neither gas nor liquid, but before she touched it, Harry spoke suddenly.

"Don't go in without me," He said quickly, but so quietly it was like he wasn't all there.

Ginny gave a quick squeak and turned around. "Oh, Harry," She said breathlessly, "How long have you been here?"

"Almost an hour," He answered, getting up and walking towards her. "Do you know what that is?" He asked, pointing to the Pensive.

Ginny shook her head in response.

"It's a pensive," Harry supplied, "It lets you see memories."

"Wow," Ginny said in awe, "Why have you brought it here?"

"Well, why do you think I've brought it?" Harry asked.

Ginny stood in thought for a moment, and then said quickly, with a smile on her face, "Are you going to let me see you kill Malfoy?"

Harry stared at her, completely taken aback by what she had said. He wasn't expecting anything like that.

"No…" He answered slowly, "I'm going to take you to the night before I left. Just after our argument…"

"Why?" Ginny said tetchily.

"Because I want you to remember."

Ginny looked at him with a face quite like disgust, but with a hint of confusion.

"After you then," Harry said, signalling for her to enter the Pensive.

Ginny paused for a moment, and then said, "How?"

"Put your head in," He answered.

And with that, Ginny stood for a moment more, and then lunged her head into the silver substance.

Harry waited for a few seconds, then looked around the empty room. He then took a few deep breaths. Watching himself have sex was about to be the strangest and most embarrassing thing in the world. But it had to be done. Harry turned towards the Pensive, and took the plunge.

* * *

"Harry, this is so weird!" Ginny said as Harry landed beside her.

"I know, but… just watch…" Harry said shakily.

"I have been, we're fighting, like I said!" Ginny replied.

Harry said nothing because he knew that if he did, Ginny would never watch. He turned his head towards the younger Ginny, and his better-looking self. Ginny was punching him, screaming the words 'I hate you' over and over again. She hadn't changed that much, then.

"Ginny!" The better looking Harry shouted, "Ginny!" Harry took hold of her arms and held her away from him. He was watching her cry until she suddenly fell into his arms and almost choked with tears.

The younger couple walked towards the bed and sat down. Ginny's head fell straight to his chest and she carried on crying.

"You promised you'd never leave me, you can't go…" She cried.

"I just want you to be safe Gin," Harry said, pulling her head up so that she was looking at his face, "I'm just doing what's best for you."

And then the two sat for a long while in silence together. The Ginny next to the real Harry spoke suddenly and made the real Harry jump; "I don't remember crying so much…" She whispered, as if to not disturb the other couple they were watching.

Harry smirked slightly, not taking his eyes off the younger version of his wife, who spoke a minute later.

"I don't hate you, Harry."

"I know," The younger man replied.

"I love you," Ginny said softly.

And then it started. The younger Harry kissed his wife. It looked as though he had only meant it to be a peck, but Ginny opened her mouth so quickly Harry almost looked surprised before he slid his tongue clearly into her mouth.

It was literally only a few seconds of that, until Ginny broke the kiss and violently pulled his t-shirt off over his head. She eyed his muscular body cheekily before Harry almost totally ripped her shirt off as well.

It was so strange for the present day Harry to watch. Back then, when it was really happening, it seemed like a total blur and everything had seemed to happen without any help. But what he was seeing here was so physical, and so _meant_ to happen.

The younger couple were now kissing silently and topless on the edge of the bed. But the younger Harry's hand quickly scaled up Ginny's back and undid her bra first time, and then it appeared at her breast so quickly it was like he had a third hand.

Sweat started to drip down the side of Harry's head and onto his naked shoulders, but by the look of it he hadn't even noticed.

Their kissing deepened even more, if it were possible, until, finally, Ginny unzipped Harry's trousers and pulled them off, flinging them across the room. Harry followed suit by taking off Ginny's jeans and discarding them on the floor, leaving her only in skimpy pants.

The real Harry was trying very hard to keep his breathing steady and not to grab the real Ginny stood next to him and copy everything that was happening before their eyes.

Suddenly, the younger Harry pulled Ginny off the bed in one quick motion and yanked the covers up. Ginny, apparently getting the idea, then grabbed his back and pulled him back onto the bed before grabbing the covers again and flinging them over each other.

The real Harry was glad now that he couldn't see anything that was happening, for less than a minute later, his boxer shorts were thrown out of the bed, followed ten seconds later by Ginny's pants.

Harry saw himself clamber on top of Ginny under the covers, and clearly heard himself enter her, as she let out a wail of pleasure.

The duvet moved with him and every time it went forward, Ginny made a sound so pleasurable that the real Harry went positively weak at the knees.

"I love you, Harry," The younger Ginny gasped before pulling her head up and biting his stiff neck.

Harry could not watch anymore, because now he was absolutely gagging for some kind of sexual action.

He turned and looked at Ginny, whose face was blank of expression.

"Let's go," He croaked since his throat was so dry.

And he put his hand on her shoulder and tugged upwards, flying out of the Pensive.

* * *

**A/N** Sooo… Hope you like it! Not too graphic at the end I don't think, well, hope you liked it anyway. Next chapter will hopefully be up soon. 


	13. Like Before

**A/N** Well, this is my last chapter everyone. I didn't expect it to be, but it is! So hope you like is, and read the IMPORTANT MESSAGE at the bottom when you have finished the story! Thanks to my ONLY reviewer from the last chapter…

**Coudle: **I'm really sorry it took longer than a week… I started back at school after the summer holidays, so I've been very busy!! I'm sorry! But hope you like it! And thanks for being my loyal reviewer all the time:)

Like Before

The moment their feet touched the floor, Ginny walked over to her bed and sat on it, not facing Harry. This troubled him, as he had no idea what was going through her head. Had she believed what she had seen? Or did she think it was all a lie?

Harry walked slowly towards her. She wasn't making a sound, or moving at all. His breathing, and body, had gone back to normal, and his mind was now totally on the task of getting Ginny to believe that Harriet was his daughter.

Still, the only light in the room was coming from the Pensive. And if possible Harry felt like it had gotten even darker since they had gone into it, since outside it must have been dusk by now, so the light was disappearing.

Slowly, Harry walked to face Ginny, and when he reached her, he saw that she was crying silently.

"Gin?" He said softly.

Ginny took a sharp breath, and then said quietly, "Why did you show me that?"

"I… I wanted to help you remember…" Harry said cautiously.

Silence.

Harry's heart was pounding like a drum. Had he done the right thing? At the moment it seemed like she was even more depressed than before.

More silence.

"Well say something Ginny!" Harry bellowed, unable to stop himself.

She looked up at him, her eyes no longer producing tears.

"She…"

Pause. The longest pause of Harry's life.

"She really is your daughter, isn't she?"

Harry's heart now jumped violently into his throat, "Yes," He whispered.

"Harry…" Ginny shook her head, "I'm… I'm so sorry…"

She cried again, loudly this time, and Harry was by her side in a second.

"It's ok, don't worry," He reassured her.

"No! It's not! All this time! I've completely disowned her because I couldn't remember the most fantastic night of my life!" Ginny cried.

"What?" Harry asked, puzzled.

"Of course I can remember it, Harry! I treasured that night for so long after you left! And then I found out I was pregnant… I've never been so happy in my life. Well, maybe that's exaggeration, but you understand!"

"Wait!" Harry cut in loudly. "Are you trying to tell me that you've known all along? I don't understand!"

"No, no!" Ginny shook her head wildly, "What I was trying to say was, I thought of that night every day until Malfoy came… then that was all I could think about. It was so… _graphic_, in my head. I can just remember him…" She started to cry again, and Harry finally understood.

The rape had overtaken the memory of her night with him, and so she lost it. And on loosing that one memory, she convinced herself that Harriet was Malfoy's daughter, because he was the only person she remembered having sex with. If you could call it that.

"I'm so sorry, Harry," Ginny cried again, "I'm sorry for putting you through hell…"

"I'm sorry for leaving," Harry interrupted again, "If I hadn't left, then you would never have forgotten…"

"I love you so much."

"I love you too. Listen, if I ever try to leave again, just curse me," Harry said into Ginny's eyes.

She smiled and said, "Believe me, I will."

* * *

"And promise me you'll go back to school tomorrow?" Ginny asked sternly. 

James, accompanied by Hermione, nodded his head as he left the room.

It was the day after Ginny had 'remembered' the truth about her daughter's father, and she, Harry, Liam, Harriet and Hermione and James had all gone to visit her. Ginny had told them all how, upon telling her Healer that she remembered everything, she was able to go home as soon as the Healers and nurses decided the time was right. Harry was positively overjoyed at this news – for they would finally be a proper family again, with Hermione and James coming to stay regularly of course.

The five of them had been in Ginny's private room for most of the day, talking about everything Ginny could think of now she was, as she put it, 'back to normal'. All day she had not really let go of Harriet at all, unless she needed to be put down for a nap. And just before Hermione and James left, they were all talking about how much time James had had out of Hogwarts, which was about two months, but Ginny had persuaded him that she was now well enough and had enough people to look after her, so he could return to his second home.

"We'll see you later, Harry, ok?" Hermione said as she followed her son through the door.

Harry nodded his head with a bright smile on his face and watched the door closed behind his very best friend. There followed a slight silence in the room after this, in which Harry turned his head and smiled at the rest of his family, who were smiling gleefully back.

The silence was broken by Liam, who was sitting, perched on the end of his mothers bed.

"Mum, when you come home, can we go on a holiday?" He asked innocently.

Ginny laughed and turned to Harry, who smiled back.

"I think we can manage that," He said, "Where would you like to go?"

"Anywhere, just away from here…" Liam answered with a thoughtful look in his eyes.

Harry shook his head slowly as he realised (again) how much his son had grown up in the past two years. He didn't know how, but Liam somehow knew that to get away from a place which has troubled you for a while is a good thing, and it can refresh your mind.

"Another country," Ginny piped up as she stroked Harriet's hair, "Somewhere exotic, and romantic…" She smiled at Harry as she said this.

"Not romantic!" Liam yelled, making a sick sound afterwards.

"Oh, Liam!" Ginny laughed, "You are sweet!"

Liam made a face that one might mistake to mean he was disgusted by this comment, but Harry tried to ignore it and just laughed along with his wife.

Once the laughter had died down, Harry looked at the clock that was hung on the wall, "We'd better get going soon, Liam, it's getting late."

"Don't leave!" Ginny said suddenly.

"I won't be gone…" Harry realised what he was about to say and bit his tongue in time to stop himself. That phrase seemed to curse him whenever he said it. "I'll see you in the morning," He corrected himself.

Ginny paused and looked down at Harriet sadly. "Take them back to Hermione and then come back here," She suggested quickly, gesturing to Liam and Harriet.

Harry looked from his two children to Ginny whilst struggling to find an answer.

"Hermione does too much for us, Gin. I can't leave them with her again," He said finally.

"Aunty Hermione won't mind!" Liam said suddenly, "I won't be bad anyway, I'll go straight to bed." A rather kinky retort flew in to Harry's mind at that moment, but he chose not to voice it in front of his eight year old son. Then Liam walked towards him like a fully grown man on a mission, which really threw Harry back, "You should stay with mum, you haven't seen her properly for ages."

Harry eyed him closely, and then a small smiled cracked on his face in gratitude of what he had said. "Ok then," Harry said, "I'll take you two home, and then come back."

He looked over to Ginny whose face was as bright as the sun at this, and proceeded in walking over to take Harriet.

"Goodnight, little one," Ginny whispered to her daughter, kissing her on the cheek, "I love you so much."

Harry smiled and picked her up, then placed her in her pram.

"Come on then, Liam," Harry said, holding out his hand for Liam to take, "I'll see you later, Gin," He turned and said quietly as he left.

* * *

"You're going back?" Hermione asked in the kitchen half an hour later, after Harry had said goodnight to Harriet and Liam. 

"Well, only if you don't mind looking after them…" Harry replied cautiously, fearing he may have asked too much of her.

"What? Of course I don't mind!" She said loudly, throwing her arms around for no reason. She seemed to be ushering him to the door.

"Look, stay there all night if you like!" She said, walking out into the hallway, "In fact, you should!"

"Why are you so keen to get rid of me?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"Oh Harry! I'm not keen to _get rid_ of you!" She said exasperatedly. "Why do you think Ginny wanted to you go back?"

Harry stood for a moment, a little puzzled. "Because we haven't spoken properly alone yet?"

"No! Well, obviously yes, but that's not the only reason is it?!" When Harry didn't reply, she continued, "Think about what you showed her yesterday. It's been two years, Harry; I'm surprised you haven't gone insane without it!"

"Hermione!" Harry said, finally cottoning on to what she was saying.

"Well, it's true! Now go, and have a good time!"

Before he even realised he was at the front door, Harry had basically been thrown out of it. He turned around to argue with Hermione but the door was already shut, so he decided it was best to leave it, and started to walk down the garden path.

As Harry walked away from his house and down the road, Hermione's words rang in his head like an endless bell. 'I'm surprised you haven't gone insane without it!' What was that supposed to mean? He wasn't an animal! He could control himself. But then Harry stopped to disapparate, and a sudden rush of excitement overcame him.

He cursed silently at Hermione for putting ideas in his head, and clicked his fingers to travel to St. Mungo's.

* * *

"Harry, where have you… Oh, Harry, they're beautiful." 

Ginny smiled as Harry summoned a water-filled vase and placed the flowers he had brought her on her bedside table, next to the picture of himself.

Harry smiled back and went to sit on the chair next to her bed but was stopped by a hand reaching out for him. He looked up and saw Ginny smiling sweetly, evidently waiting for him to sit on the bed with her. He did so, while swallowing with difficulty. He had no idea why he was this nervous.

Quickly, Ginny led down next to him, so he followed her example, and lay down as well. She then put her arm around him and put her head to rest on his chest. Harry looked down at her and watched her close her eyes. She looked so peaceful.

"I'm so glad you're back," She whispered.

"So am I," He replied, his heart pace slowing.

"I love you so much," She said, opening her eyes and lifting her head, she planted a soft kiss on Harry's lips. "I wish things… I wish they were how they used to be."

"They will be again soon," Harry said, his heart rate picking up again after one small kiss.

"I've missed kissing you like I did that night. Until I forgot about it of course…" Her expression lowered as she looked back to the wall opposite.

"Don't worry, I enjoyed watching it over…" Where had _that_ comment slipped from?!

Ginny's head flew up to look at him again, this time a cheeky look was in her eyes as she said, "I _bet_ you did, Mr Potter!"

"I didn't mean it like that!" Harry laughed.

"Oh, whatever!" Ginny replied, joining in.

"I didn't! I merely meant that… it was – nice – to see a memory so clearly…"

"Oh Harry, quit while the hole is small!"

Harry nudged his wife playfully so that she nearly fell off the bed, but grabbed his right arm instead, and almost took him with her.

The two of them were laughing long into the night. Reminiscing about things they had shared in their married life, and even all the way back to Hogwarts. They remembered how Liam had walked into glass doors when he first started to learn, how Ginny would always get into a strop when Harry beat her at one on one Quidditch, and how, no matter what, the two of them would always get through a problem, be it by loving each other, or just fighting it all out; they loved each other, and that was all that mattered.

Harry stayed with Ginny all night, just cuddled together in a small, cramped, uncomfortable hospital bed in a hot, clammy room. But none of that posed a problem for Harry; he could have laid there for eternity – if eternity would allow it.

This night, for Harry, was definitely the best since Harriet was conceived. And despite what Hermione had thought all those hours ago, and despite how excited Harry had become at the prospect of making love to his wife again, he found that this was just as… pleasant. He could not have dreamed of a better way to make love happen, than lying side by side, together.

* * *

**A/N** Hello!!! That was the last chapter. But I am considering an epilogue. Well, what the hell?! I'm about to go off and write the epilogue now lol!! So no worries, there is basically one chapter left. But I will take this opportunity to thank everyone for reading this fic; it's been a long hard road, as I considered myself 'in a rut' for many chapters. But you guys helped me through! Thank you! Anyway, I'll leave and hurry up writing that epilogue!! Thanks again!! 


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